Transport association MANIBELA said on Saturday that while they are in favor of public utility vehicle modernization, they believe that consolidation should be voluntary.
“Sana maging optional ito [consolidation ng prangkisa]. ‘Yung modernization, wala namang problema sa amin. Ang mahirap lang, kahit ‘yung local manufacturers [ng modern jeepneys], wala pa ring inaaprubahan kahit sino sa kanila,” MANIBELA chairperson Mar Valbuena said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
(We hope that the consolidation will be optional. Modernization is not a problem for us. The only problem is that none of the local manufacturers of modern jeepneys have been approved yet.)
The deadline for the consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations was on April 30.
After the deadline, at least 36,217 PUVs and 2,445 routes remained unconsolidated.
The government later allowed unconsolidated jeepneys and UV Express to operate in over 2,500 routes with a low number of consolidations.
MANIBELA and fellow transport group PISTON will stage a transport strike from September 23 to 24 to protest the government’s Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).
PISTON said the protest action aims to address the following demands of the transport sector:
- junking of the PTMP
- cancellation of forced franchise consolidation
- renewal of franchises and registrations for all public utility vehicle (PUV) operators, including those who choose not to consolidate
- zero budget for PUV phaseout programs, with funding redirected towards the rehabilitation of traditional jeepneys and subsidies for local industries
- allow those who have entered franchise consolidation to withdraw
Valbuena said at least 20,000 individuals would join the transport strike. —Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News
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