'Suspend jeepney modernization program'

SENATE Majority Leader Francis Tolentino backed the recommendation of Senate President Francis Escudero to suspend the jeepney modernization program through a Senate resolution.

“I associate myself fully with the motion given by Senate President Chiz Escudero and supplemental motion given by Sen. JV Ejercito… I believe it would now appear that this is a bureaucracy-initiated crisis seeking a bureaucratic solution,” Tolentino said during Tuesday's hearing of the Committee on Public Services.

“Let's support the suspension of the program, in the meantime, while all other heads are looking for the appropriate formula to seek ways to end this bureaucratic-made crisis,” he added.

Escudero described the jeepney modernization program as “unprepared, unthought of,” noting that the sector affected by its implementation was not even consulted.

He said he refused to implement the program when he was governor of Sorsogon. He added Vice President Sara Duterte did the same when she was mayor of Davao City.

“I fully believe that the majority of senators support the suspension of this modernization program. Instead of a bill, we can pass a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate asking the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) to temporarily suspend it until questions, all problems and all financial questions related to this modernization, are answered,” Escudero said.