LTO to apprehend unregistered jeepneys beyond Jan. 31

Starting Feb. 1, all jeepney drivers and operators who were not able to consolidate would not be allowed to ply their routes. For now, unconsolidated jeepneys can operate until Jan. 31. (File photo: Yannes Kiefer/Unsplash)

MANILA – Unregistered jeepneys, whether consolidated or not, will be apprehended beyond Jan. 31, an official of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) warned on Wednesday.

“Kapag hindi naka-rehistro, whether consolidated o unconsolidated, huli kayo (Unregistered jeepneys, whether consolidated or unconsolidated, will be apprehended),” LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, said.

Starting Feb. 1, all jeepney drivers and operators who were not able to consolidate would not be allowed to ply their routes. For now, unconsolidated jeepneys can operate until Jan. 31.

Jeepneys and operators who did not comply with the consolidation deadline will be considered as “colorum” after Jan. 31.

About 70 percent of drivers and operators nationwide have consolidated.

Mendoza said several lots in different regions had been earmarked to be used as impounding areas.

“Meron tayong bubuksan na impounding area sa Carmona, two hectares sa MOA (Mall of Asia) area. Nasa[Region] 4A ako kahapon, meron tayo bubuksan na mga impounding area dito sa Lipa, San Pablo, at San Pedro (We are opening an impounding area in Carmona, two hectares in the MOA area. I was in Region 4A yesterday, we’re going to open impounding areas in Lipa, San Pablo, and San Pedro),” he said.

Mendoza said the LTO in Region III is also planning on expanding impounding areas in Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.

“Tingin namin sapat na ‘yun. Sana hindi mapuno, sana mag-comply na lang po ang mga tao. Sana mag-rehistro na po ng sasakyan ang mga nagrereklamo sa modernization (We believe that will be enough. We hope they won’t get full, that people will just comply. We hope that those complaining about modernization will register),” he said.

Mendoza said enforcement is the government’s last option against those who do not comply with the consolidation requirement of the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).

“It’s not part of what we want to do. We want them to comply and tulungan namin sila mag-comply (We’re going to help them comply),” he added.

During the briefing, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency and its attached offices such as the LTO, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) remain open for a dialogue with transportation groups.

“Hindi ibig sabihin na nagkaroon na tayo ng deadline ay hanggang dun na lang. Kasi napag-usapan namin dito sa opisina na meron mga challenges. And kung meron problema, meron solusyon (It doesn’t mean that there’s a deadline, that it ends there. Because there are challenges. And if there is a problem, there is a solution),” Bautista said.

Commuters’ feedback

Student John Vincent Bernardo, from Payatas, Quezon City, said modern jeepneys are convenient.

“Presko sa loob. Kaso ‘yung siksikan, hindi naman po maiiwasan ‘yun, eh (It’s cooler inside, but of course even the modern jeepneys get full with passengers at times),” he said. 

Meanwhile, Carmelita Arañez, 63, acknowledges the benefits of modern jeepneys.

She said, “Mas komportable… kasi malamig eh. Siguro doon na sa modern. Kasi komportable din naman ang ano doon. At saka, okay naman sa byahe. Mas ma-ano yung takbo, ‘di kagaya ng [traditional] jeep na mabilis (Modern jeepneys are more comfortable because of aircondition. Travels are better because they are not that fast unlike traditional jeepneys).”

On Tuesday, transport groups Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) and Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) held a marching protest towards Mendiola near Malacañang and the Supreme Court against the government’s PUVMP and its consolidation requirement that had its deadline last Dec. 31, 2023.

Earlier, the LTFRB issued a memorandum circular allowing unconsolidated PUVs in some routes to continue plying their routes beyond the deadline. This will end on Jan. 31.

Assistance ready

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), meanwhile, assured it is ready to assist anew jeepney drivers and operators affected by the government’s transport modernization program.

In a statement Wednesday, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said each affected transport worker would get a minimum of PHP30,000 worth of in-kind livelihood assistance through the nationwide “enTSUPERneur” livelihood program.

Laguesma said they have a list of livelihood projects that the beneficiaries may choose from, including rice retailing, variety store and food stall establishment, animal raising, agricultural input provision and tailoring, among others.

“More than 4,500 na pong transport workers ang nabigyang ayuda, at iyon pong naibigay sa kanila ay umaabot na rin sa humigit-kumulang PHP123 million. Itong taon na ito, mayroon pong naka-lineup na 1,500 transport workers na nagnanais ding makakuha, na habang nagnanais silang sana tuloy-tuloy ang kanilang talagang pangunahing hanapbuhay, ay matulungan natin, magabayan natin na mayroon silang alternatibong pagkakakitaan (More than 4,500 transport workers have received financial aid which reached some PHP123 million in total. This year, some 1,500 transport workers are set to get assistance. While they continue with their primary means of livelihood, we also aim to help and guide them in finding alternative means to make a living),” he said.

Laguesma said the livelihood package also contains materials, inputs and market linkages to assist the beneficiaries.

The “enTSUPERneur” livelihood program is a joint initiative of the DOLE, Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Cooperatives, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Asked whether the program will sufficiently cover the estimated 30,000 displaced jeepney drivers and operators who failed to consolidate, Laguesma said government agencies are joining forces to pool resources for the program per the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has provided jeepney workers, especially those affected by the modernization program, with skills development training through its “Tsuper Iskolar” Program since 2019.

The program provides displaced drivers, operators and their family members free technical vocational skills training, assessment and certification, with a training allowance of PHP350 per day for a maximum of 35 days.