Operators to seek court intervention: 700 UV Express face phaseout

CEBU, Philippines — Operators of Utility Vehicles (UV) Express in Cebu with over 700 units will seek redress in court with the support of the Alliance of Public Transport Operators Partylist (AP Partylist), as their units are in danger of getting phased out by March 31, 2022, the deadline set by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to modernize public utility vehicles.

“If Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 of LTFRB is implemented then not even one unit of the more or less 700 units of UV Express operating in Cebu, scrap gyud ang tanan. All units will be phased out gyud,” said Atty. Arjay Elnas.

This is because the existing UV Express units do not conform to the dimensions set by LTFRB, including the number of passengers a vehicle can accommodate – from 16 to 21 to 23.

“Kaning mga existing units were all brand new pag-purchase ani nila and these are top of the line unya ang manufacturer ani kay Japan gyud unya garantisado nga lig-on. Kaning naa sa guidelines sa LTFRB kay ang mga specifications kay gusto nila mga China-made nga mga units ra ang makapasar,” said Cebuano businessman Rey Tambis, second nominee of AP Partylist.

Tambis said what concerns the operators is that a China-made vehicle is not that durable compared to one made in Japan.

 “Ang ilang gikuha top of the line gyud na. Ang tumong sa modernization kay i-upgrade ang mga units. Unsa pa man ang i-upgrade nga top of the line na man ni?” Tambis said.

A UV Express operator said that when they purchased the units in 2012, LTFRB gave them 13 years to operate, which is the lifespan of their units.

 “Naa mi mga units nga eight years pa lang unya og i-phase out mi karong Marso, wala kaabot og 13 years. Ang amoa unta nga dili una nila i-phase out kung wala pa nakaabot og 13 years ang unit,” another UV Express operator said.

Elnas said they will file a petition for declaratory relief in court within the month, which will also seek for a temporary restraining order against the LTFRB memorandum circular.

 “If the court will grant an order favorable to us, the effect sa atong action would be nationwide,” Elnas said.

LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2021-01 indicates the guidelines on the specifications of PUJs (Class 1,2 and 3) and Utility Vehicles (UV) Express Service (Class 3) per type or denomination covered by Department Order No. 2017-011 otherwise known as the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines.

The modernization of public utility vehicles was launched in Cebu and, simultaneously, nationwide on July 11, 2019.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino described the launch as the start of the “Golden Age of Cebu’s transportation system”.— JMO (FREEMAN)