AN OFFICIAL of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas (LTFRB 7) announced on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 the total phaseout of traditional public utility jeepneys from the streets nationwide starting April 1, 2022.
Assistant Regional Director Reynaldo Elnar said they received Memorandum Circular 2021-21 from the central office regarding the phaseout of traditional jeepneys nationwide.
“Our problem now is that only 846 modernized jeepneys are operating in Metro Cebu,” Elnar said.
Elnar said it remains a problem since it cannot support the volume of passengers in Metro Cebu.
“That’s why our buses are still operating because the existing traditional and modern jeepneys cannot serve the demand of passengers,” he said.
The LTFRB 7 assistant regional director said the local government units (LGUs) remain crucial since they should prepare the local public transport route plan (LPTRP).
“The LGUs have participation because they will determine the number of units in every route. The LGUs will also endorse the route and the LTFRB will evaluate,” he said.
So far, only Mandaue City has an approved LPTRP while 30 other LGUs in the region have submitted their route plans.
The LTFRB 7 on March 12, 2021 awarded Mandaue City a notice of compliance for completing the plan, the first in the Central Visayas region.
Because of this, the city is set to open this year four new intracity routes for modern jeepneys with the completion and approval of its LPTRP.
Elnar said about 6,000 traditional jeepneys were operating pre-pandemic in Metro Cebu.
Currently, fewer than 2,000 traditional jeepneys remain plying the road because of the inspection on road worthiness of the units and approval required from the local government units.
Elnar said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Department of Transportation will offer free skills training courses to public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers affected by the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).
Among the training courses included are driving, speed limiter installation, automotive servicing and automotive engine rebuilding.
“We still have 1,000 vacant slots for that as well,” he said.
Bad for commuters
Transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) Cebu said the move will make commuters suffer rather than giving them convenience.
Piston Cebu chairman Gregory Perez told SunStar Cebu that it is impossible for the plan to be realized since many drivers and operators cannot afford to switch to modern jeepneys.
Perez said even with TPUJs plying the roads, there is still a lack of public transport, especially during rush hour.
“Mo suffer ang mga commuters. Bisan pa gani naay TPUJ, walay kasakyan gihapon ang mga pasahero,” said Perez. (The commuters will suffer. Even with the TPUJs, there aren’t enough rides for the commuters.)
The transport group leader also mentioned that the upcoming election can delay the government’s plan to get rid of traditional jeepneys from the roads.
“Kung ipugos na sa gobyerno nato, maka apekto na sa mga kandidato sa administrasyon,” Perez said. (If the government will enforce its implementation, that will affect the candidates of the administration.)
Perez suggested that the government help drivers and operators to rehabilitate traditional jeepneys and establish a government-owned industry that will manufacture modern jeeps so that the cost will be reduced.
Flagship program
The PUVMP, a flagship program of the Duterte administration, aims to provide a modern, environment-friendly, comfortable and safe public transport system in the country.
The bigger and more modern replacement vehicles are estimated to cost at least P1.4 million each, so a government subsidy and loan program has been included in the program.
Begun in mid-2017, the PUVMP aimed to phase out traditional jeepneys, buses and other public utility vehicles at least 15 years old and replace them with more comfortable and environment-friendly vehicles in three years.
However, the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 hit the program’s timelines.
Among other things, the program encourages small transport industry players to merge and form either cooperatives or corporations. It devolves route planning to local government units. / irt