PUV modernization: To suspend or not to suspend?

My late grandfather Jorge A. Gonzales, an outstanding individual who lived through World War II, put up a small fleet of jeepneys which served the route between Cubao and the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus.

He did this to help students coming from the Cubao area get to their classes on time.

My grandfather was a UP alumnus so he knew the need for transportation to and from the sprawling campus. When he graduated from the UP College of Law, he went on to practice law but at the same time, put up small businesses, including a barbershop and that fleet of jeepneys.

It complemented the UP Ikot route, which in turn was put up by the pioneer of the UP Ikot, Lolo Neong Odoy, so that students don’t have to walk long distances in between colleges in the 493-hectare campus.

This was during the postbellum era of the late 40s and early 50s, a time of rebuilding and recovering, of standing and helping each other rise from the devastating and paralyzing effects of the Second World War.

Back then, the jeepneys served the citizens well. The jeeps were a surplus from wartime and were sold and resold when the Americans left, paving the way for cheap public transportation for Filipinos.

Fast forward to today and we’re now on the way to phasing out jeepneys.

Is it a wise move?

Perhaps even my grandfather would agree that the jeepney, while it was fit for our roads during the postwar era and in the few decades after, is no longer the best public transportation we can offer Filipino commuters in this day and age. These 5,000-kilogram machines have become outmoded, what with all the changes that came with the times.

Our roads have become too crowded for the jeepneys and our streets too polluted for commuters to endure long rides in an open and exposed vehicle such as the jeepney.

As we develop, we really should provide Filipino commuters better but still affordable mobility options. These include other types of vehicles.

Had the government supported the jeepney manufacturers early on, we wouldn’t be taking this long to modernize our jeepneys. They could have evolved into producers of other types of vehicles under a brand that is truly Filipino. They could have updated the jeepneys to fit with the changing times. But they were always on their own.

But that’s water under the bridge now.

At present, the focus is to push through with PUV modernization.

I believe it’s about time this happens but of course it should not come at the expense of the drivers and other stakeholders who rely on the jeepneys to earn a living.

Transportation Secretary Jaime “JJB” Bautista has submitted a 100-page letter to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero regarding the suspension of the Public Transportation Modernization Program (PTMP).

This came after senators said they would push for the suspension of the program.

Responding to the different points raised against the program, Sec. JJB stressed that the PTMP does not require PUV operators and drivers to immediately purchase modern PUVs upon consolidation. Instead, PUV modernization will occur gradually over the next three to four years after the consolidation deadline.

“We also want to assure the Senate committee that PNS and greenhouse gas emission-compliant modern jeepney units available on the market are not limited to foreign and imported manufacturers. In fact, modern jeepney units are also produced by well-known local manufacturers,” Bautista said in his letter dated July 29, 2024.

“The DOTr also remains committed to preserving the iconic design of our traditional jeepneys and encourages all local manufacturers and importers of PUVs to emulate the artistic design of traditional PUJs,” he also said.

This measure, Sec. Bautista said, aims to preserve the country’s cultural heritage while adhering to the relevant enforceable PNS or Philippine National Standards.

In his letter, the DOTr chief also warned of the potential effects of suspending PTMP as follows:

• Stakeholder impact. Suspending PTMP at this stage of its implementation could disrupt services for many who depend on its benefits. This could undermine progress and damage relationships with stakeholders, particularly, given that a significant percentage thereof have already consolidated.

• Resource utilization. Further, significant resources have already been invested in developing and implementing the PTMP.

In 2024 alone, the government has already appropriated the amount of P1.6 billion for the program. As it was furthered by the (Senate) committee, the program’s utilization rate is already at 53 percent of the P7.5-billion budget from 2018 to 2024. Suspending the program now risks wasting these investments and incurring additional costs to reestablish similar initiatives in the future.

As of April 30, 2024, the franchise consolidation process has reached 83.38 percent with 159,862 out of the 1919,730 baseline units consolidated. In total, there are 6,090 consolidated routes for PUJs, UVEs (UV Express), minibuses and PUBs (public utility buses), data from DOTr also showed.

Ways forward

In conclusion, Sec. JJB said, “We respectfully beseech the Honorable Senate to consider the ongoing benefits and improvements of PTMP. A temporary suspension might not only halt the positive momentum of the program, but could also have unintended negative consequences.”

Every paradigm shift has its challenges. Not everyone will be happy but the goal is for the changes to benefit the majority and more importantly, for the benefits to outweigh the drawbacks.

What happens next remains to be seen.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.