MASANTOL, Pampanga, Philippines — Refuting claims that it was rushed, President Marcos stood firm on his decision to implement the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP), now known as the public transport modernization program (PTMP).
Twenty-two senators have signed a resolution calling for the suspension of the program.
“I disagree with them (senators) because they say it was rushed,” Marcos told reporters yesterday when asked to comment on Senate Resolution 1096.
According to the President, the PTMP is long overdue. “This has been postponed seven times. The modernization has been postponed for seven times,” he stressed.
Marcos noted that most of the public utility jeepneys have consolidated, which is the first step of the modernization program.
“And those that have been objecting or been crying out and asking for suspension are in the minority. Eighty percent have already consolidated,” he said.
“So, what now? The 20 percent will decide for the life of the 100 percent?” the President asked partly in Filipino. “So, let’s listen to the majority and the majority says let’s continue. So, that’s what we will do.”
In the Senate resolution, the senators said the program should be suspended “pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by affected drivers, groups, unions and transport cooperatives with the end in view of ensuring a more efficient and inclusive implementation.”
The 22 senators who signed the resolution were Senate President Francis Escudero, majority leader Francis Tolentino, minority leader Koko Pimentel, pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Raffy Tulfo, Nancy Binay, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Bong Revilla, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Only Sen. Risa Hontiveros did not sign the resolution.
For its part, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) thanked President Marcos for choosing to continue the government’s modernization program despite the calls for its suspension.
The move to continue the program “reinforces the importance of modernizing the country’s public transportation system,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said.
Data from the LTFRB showed that about 10,000 have not consolidated nationwide, including 1,900 jeepneys in Metro Manila.
‘Recommendation’
Senate Resolution 1096 that urges a temporary suspension in the implementation of the PTMP was a mere recommendation and reminder to the Executive department, Escudero clarified yesterday.
“That’s what you call separation of powers, it’s OK to have different opinions and view. The senators have signed that and it can’t be reversed, expressing the sense of the Senate, serving as a reminder to the Executive branch. It’s called democracy,” Escudero told Senate reporters.
Senators signed a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate to temporarily suspend the implementation of the PTMP pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by affected drivers, groups, unions and transport cooperatives.
At least 22 transport groups in Northern Mindanao gathered for a “unity walk” on Monday to protest a Senate resolution that seeks to suspend the PTMP.
They claimed that if the PTMP implementation is stopped, these cooperatives and corporations may incur losses and their workers will likely lose jobs.
Escudero said the call for suspension covered those who have yet to complete the consolidation of their jeepneys and franchises.
“They don’t understand…The suspension of the program is for those who have not followed the program until it has been adjusted,” he said, noting that the letter of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on their P8-billion budget from 2018 to 2024 indicated only 50 percent of the cost.
Senators said they backed the move to suspend the PTMP due to the insufficiency of the government’s information drive to educate drivers, operators and transport groups about the program as well as the “burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs, which greatly exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators.”
Senators have also noted that only 174 or 11.05 percent of 1,574 local government units have approved their Local Public Transport Route Plan. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Romina Cabrera