Jeepney, UV Express consolidation still at 64.4% ahead of 3-day strike
MANILA, Philippines — The number of traditional jeepneys and UV Express services consolidated under cooperatives and corporations stood virtually unchanged since February 2022 — with many at risk of not meeting the December 31 deadline as part of the state's PUV modernization program.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Thursday shared to reporters that only 64.4% have started consolidating, a move that the government says would "help" drivers and operators purchase "modern" PUV units costing up to P2.8 million a piece.
"Percentage was based on the number of consolidated franchises over Distribution of Land Transportation Services (DLTS) as of December 2022," said LTFRB Thursday.
Public Utility Jeeps:
- 100,349 out of 158,281 units (63.4%)
- 3,245 out of 7,149 routes (45.4%)
UV Express:
- 12,484 out of 19,932 units (72.7%)
- 657 out of 1,008 routes (65.2%)
LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III in February said that only 60% of public utility vehicles have consolidated in lieu of modernization. These numbers are still far from the 80-90% target of the Department of Transportation by December 31, 2023.
Guadiz earlier clarified that the December deadline is for the consolidation and not for the phaseout of traditional jeepney units. The phaseout, he said, would be the last stage of the PUV Modernization Program which would happen at a latter time.
Additional expenses hamper consolidation
Besides cooperatives being required to have at least 15 of the aforementioned "expensive" electric minibuses, additional expenses continue to hamper drivers and operators in consolidating.
"The actual consolidation doesn't cost a thing, but the act of joining coporations and cooperatives cost money," said Piston president Mody Floranda to Philstar.com in Filipino on Friday.
"The costs depend on whoever founded [the corporation or cooperative] but normally it's P40,000 pero operator. Sometimes it reaches up to P300,000."
The group, who earlier participated in a transport strike with Manibela last March, also alleged that some of the routes are being monopolized.
Issues and impending strike
The consolidation figures were made public after transport group Manibela called for a three-day transport strike coinciding with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second state of the nation address (SONA) on July 24.
This came after the the DOTr reportedly did not follow through with the government's promise to include their group in revisiting the Department of Transportation's 2017 Omnibus Franchising Guidelines which would later phase out the jeeps.
"The DOTr challenges Manibela to prove their allegations with concrete proof and evidence. Clearly, their planned 'strike' is intended to gain media attention and public sympathy, but not to address the legitimate concerns of PUV drivers and operators," said the DOTr on Thursday.
"Their group is free to stage any form of protest. However, DOTr will not be held hostage. The whole country and innocent commuters will not be blackmailed every time this group does not get what it wants."
Manibela earlier said that local government units and private corporations are being favored when it comes to awarding of routes.
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