AT LEAST 22 Cebu transport groups and cooperatives gathered at Fuente Osmeña Circle for a “unity walk” on Monday, August 5, 2024, as they called for the lifting of the proposed temporary suspension on the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
An estimated 1,500 participants joined the rally composed of drivers, vehicle conductors, and office workers who marched from Fuente Osmeña Circle to the main office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 7 in Cebu City.
President of the Federation of Cebu Transport Cooperatives (FCTC) Ellen Maghanoy called on the participants of the “unity walk” to amplify their strong opposition to the recent temporary PUVMP suspension proposed by the Senate.
Maghanoy said the unity walk is a testament to their steadfast resistance to the resolution.
“Nagsugod na man gyud ta, di na na pwede nga i-hunong kay naka invest na man gud. Dako kaayo na nga insulto sa amoa kay kami man mi-comply. Kami mi embrace sa modernization program. Nya di na sad makatarungan nga yano-yanohon na la'g suspension sa atoang mga senators,” she said.
(The program already started, and we have complied. It is an insult to us, who already invested resources to comply with the program. It is also unfair for us that our senators will just suspend the PUVMP.)
Maghanoy also sought justice for the affected cooperative groups and their drivers who will be affected by the proposed suspension, stressing that some of them have already invested financial resources just to comply with the program.
At present, Central Visayas has an 81 percent compliance rate for the program. The 19 percent remainder constitutes those who have not yet enlisted for the program.
Reynaldo Elnar, chief transportation development officer, said there are more operating traditional jeepneys compared to modern jeepneys in Central Visayas that are subject for replacement on December 31, 2024.
Gregorio Tudtod, LATransCo driver, expressed dismay over the proposed resolution, and called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be firm with his decision to strongly support the PUVMP.
He said there are a lot of drivers, conductors, and their families who will be affected by the temporary suspension.
"Nagkahiusa mi aning simultaneous rally para maabot sa taas nga ipahunong ang suspensyon sa modernization. Sila ra ang nagbuhat nya karon ila na sang ipahunong. Unsa man na, nag atras abante atong gobyerno. Proceed ta paras kalamboan sa Pilipinas," Tudtod said.
(We joined in this simultaneous rally to demand that the higher-ups should stop the suspension of the modernization program. They were the ones who initiated it, and now they want to stop it? We should continue to support the progress of the Philippines.)
The FCTC encouraged the remaining 19 percent of unconsolidated jeepneys to embrace the modernization program.
The group also sent a letter of intent to Marcos last August 1, 2024, as they hope for Marcos to revoke the Senate resolution.
On July 30, 22 out of 23 senators signed Senate Resolution 1096, which seeks to temporarily halt the PUVMP due to an inadequate information campaign to educate drivers, operators, and transport groups about it.
"These small stakeholders, particularly the drivers, who remain unconsolidated, are effectively forced out of their livelihoods with most of them expressing that the only skill they have is driving," the resolution stated.
It also noted that only 174 out of 1,574 of the local government units (LGUs) in the country have submitted their approved Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP), which is due in 2026.
Launched in 2017, the PUVMP intends to reduce pollution by substituting vehicles with engines that meet Euro 4 requirements for jeepneys, as well as PUVs that the Land Transportation Office deemed unroadworthy. (Jerry Yubal, Fred Leander Baldos, and Grezel Balbutin, VSU interns)