Senators call for further extension of jeepney operators’ consolidation deadline
SENATORS on Thursday asked the government to further extend the Dec. 31 deadline for the consolidation of traditional jeepney owners and drivers, saying thousands in the transport sector could lose their jobs.
“I do think, and I do believe that nine months is not enough before the phaseout of all of these jeepneys,” Senator Jose “Jinggoy” E. Estrada said in a mix of English and Filipino during a public services committee hearing.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Teofilo E. Guadiz III has clarified that the end-Dec. deadline was for jeepney owners to join or form a cooperative, and not for the phaseout.
“The deadline is only for the consolidation urging the drivers to come together, consolidate as one, and start the formation of a cooperative in pursuit of a modernization,” he told senators.
“After the consolidation, there would still be other stages of this modernization scheme,” he added. “The phaseout will be the last stage.”
The consolidation is intended to ease the delivery of government support services such as financing for modern jeepney units and alternative livelihood programs.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista has also said earlier that traditional jeepneys will not be taken off the road until there are enough modern transport units to replace them.
However, Senator Mary Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, who chaired the hearing, said in Filipino that “if you are unable to consolidate, you no longer have a provisional authority to operate.”
“It’s wrong to say that it’s not a phase out by December because if they are unable to consolidate by that time, they are removed,” she said. “You are not even done with your route rationalization, yet you want all of them to comply.”
Mr. Guadiz said that about 62% or 98,801 public utility jeepneys have already been consolidated. About 65,000 units have yet to join a cooperative.
REQUIREMENTS
Meanwhile, the Transportation department has ordered LTFRB to adjust the requirements for jeepney owners in the implementation of the modernization program.
“We are willing to bend backwards, suggesting to the board of LTFRB to relax the requirements to enable drivers to adopt to the program,” Mr. Bautista said in a statement on Thursday.
The Transport secretary also said that the department has reached out to public transport operators and drivers for a detailed discussion on the modernization program.
As of Feb. 25, LTFRB has recorded at least 1,156 cooperatives covering 98,801 jeepney units and 406 consolidated entities that operate 14,289 UV express or van units.
The Transport department said there are already 6,814 units of modern public transport units that ply over 400 routes, according to DoTr. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan and Justine Irish D. Tabile
