Marcos thumbs down PUV modernization suspension

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PCO photo)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

MASANTOL, Pampanga – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday rejected the proposal to suspend the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

In a media interview here, Marcos said majority, or around 80 percent of PUV operators have already followed the program and consolidated individual franchises under cooperatives or corporations to facilitate the acquisition of new, environmentally friendly transport vehicles.

“I disagree with them because sinasabi nila minadali (they said this was rushed). This has been postponed seven times. The modernization has been postponed for seven times and those that have been objecting or have been crying out and asking for suspension are in the minority. 80% have already consolidated, so papano naman if yung 20 percent ang magde-decide ‘yung buhay ng 100 percent (are we going to allow the remaining 20 percent to decide on the life of everyone),” Marcos told reporters.

“Pakinggan natin ang majority at ang majority sinasabi ituloy natin (Let’s listen to the majority and the majority says we should continue),” he added.

Last week, 22 senators filed a resolution calling for the temporary suspension of the PUVMP due to concerns about its supposed unplanned and rushed implementation.

Senate Resolution No. 1096 highlighted the fears of drivers and transport operators to be directly affected by the program, particularly issues related to consolidation into cooperatives.

According to data from the Department of Transportation, the consolidation rate under the program already reached 83.38 percent, with the Office of Transport Cooperatives accrediting 1,781 cooperatives with 262,870 members.

The government is now completing the Local Public Transportation Route Plan (LPTRP) or route rationalization component of the PUVMP. This will determine the number of PUV units to serve a particular route.

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero clarified that PUV operators and drivers who already complied will not be affected by their proposal to temporary suspend the program.

“Wala kaming sinasabing bawi. Ang sinasabi namin dun sa mga hindi pa, maghinay-hinay hangga’t hindi pa kompleto yung ayuda, financing, at plano nila. At kapag kompleto na, tuloy na dun sa mga balanse pa. Pero yung mga pumayag na, yung mga bumili na, yung mga ginagawa na yan, bakit ba hindi (We’re not saying anything about canceling the program. What we are saying to those who haven’t yet is to slow down until the assistance, financing, and plans are complete. And when it’s complete, let’s continue with the remainder. But those who have agreed, those who have already bought units, those who are already doing it, why not)?” the Senate President told reporters.

“Wala namang nagsabi na tutol kami sa modernisasyon mismo. Nais lamang naming maipatupad ito nang maayos at tapat ayon sa intensyon ng modernisasyon mismo (No one said that we are against modernization itself. We just want it to be implemented properly and faithfully according to the intention of modernization itself),” he added.

Escudero also emphasized that SRN 1096 is just a “Sense of the Senate” and does not necessarily mean that senators are perfect or experts.

“Ito ay nagsisilbi lamang paalala sa Executive branch at ganyan dapat ang relasyon sa pagitan ng Executive at Legislative (It only serves as a reminder to the Executive branch and that is how the relationship between the Executive and Legislative should be),” he said, citing it as a showcase of “separation of powers in different divisions of government.”

Nonetheless, Escudero said the public transport modernization program will be further scrutinized by senators in the coming budget deliberations when the Department of Transportation appears before the Senate.