Pangasinan’s 3,413 jeepney owners beat the deadline
ONLY 37 BACKED OUT OF MODERNIZATION PLAN
WHEN the April 30 extended deadline for the consolidation lapsed, there were only 37 jeepney owners in Pangasinan who did not comply with the PUV modernization program.
This translates, however, to 99 percent of jeepney owners who managed to consolidate, according to Bernard Tuliao, president of the One Pangasinan Transport Federation (OPTF) in an interview Tuesday, April 30.
He confirmed that 3,413 jeepney operators, out of 3,376 with franchises in the province have complied and the remaining 37 units obviously opted not to join consolidation because they did not respond to his calls while others decided to stop operating their jeepneys.
Tuliao said the Regional Office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also decided in a dialogue with his organization, to allow less than 15 jeepney units operating in one route and, therefore, could not consolidate to join already existing cooperatives.
“Yung ibang mga kooperatiba may more than one route, in-absorb yung iba, kaya isasama na yung ruta nila para hindi ma-dissolve yun (route),” he said.
He cited the case of 10 jeepney units plying Barangay Malued that were absorbed by cooperatives with routes near the area.
“Win-win ito para sa lahat,” said Tuliao.
With the consolidation over, Tuliao said the next challenge is to pick an option for the purchase of modernized jeeps.
Tuliao said his members are currently learning towards former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson’s offer that allows light installment payments.
“Parang boundary system ang magiging approach para pambayad sa utang,” said Tuliao.
Aside from a modern PUV manufacturer in South Korea, Tuliao said Singson is also in negotiation with Francisco Motors.
Tuliao said Singon’s talks with Francisco Motors may be the better choice since the units will be sold for as low as P700,000, against the China-manufactured modern PUVS costing P2.4 million per unit.
He added that the modern PUVs manufactured by Francisco Motors will be e-jeepneys. (Ahikam Pasion)
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