By Leonardo Micua

 

A resolution of the Philippine Senate signed by 22 of the 23 senators, Sen. Risa Hontiveros being the exception, seeking temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), is a strong manifestation that the lawmakers are not fully satisfied with the program’s implementation so far.

Even if DOTR and LTFRB told the senators that 83% of the total jeepneys nationwide had already been consolidated and only 17% or some 1,000 units had not, the lawmakers won’t be stopped from calling on PBBM to temporarily suspend the program’s implementation until all the issues raised by those who refused to consolidate are effectively addressed.

A major issue raised by this group is the high cost of modern jeepneys or mini-buses at P2.5 to P3 million per unit, sourced from Chinese manufacturers. The poor jeepney drivers earning a maximum of just P600 daily certainly cannot amortize these even if they break their backs commuting passengers for 14 hours a day without rest.

For giving preferential treatment to manufacturers from China, which will replace the traditional and iconic jeepneys, the senators insinuated that possibly under-the-table transactions may have taken place, incriminating present and past implementors of the program.

Senate President Chiz Escudero admitted in a senate hearing presided by Senator Raffy Tulfo, that as governor of Sorsogon for three years, he stood in the way of the PTMP because of the fear of local jeepney drivers and operators it would not work for their advantage.

The senators also proceeded with their resolution because of the fact that until now the LTFRB is not ready with the required Local Route Rationalization Plan, which should have been adopted much ahead of the jeepney consolidation.

Senate President Escudero also said the replacement of the iconic jeepneys with modernized mini-buses imported from China is a total disrespect to the culture and traditions of the Filipinos.

Senators also took note of the report that some transport cooperatives have already defaulted on their loans with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines owing to poor cash inflow and suspicions that their officers ran away with the income of the cooperatives.

In an earlier congressional hearing on the issue, PartyList Rep. Bonifacio Bosita said some modernized jeepneys were already grounded in the Visayas for various reasons, other than finances, months after being acquired by transport cooperatives.

There were also reports that some modernized units were being salvaged for spare parts because others that were operating could not find other sources.

However, not all transport sectors are happy with the Senate resolution. ACTO, led by Liberty Luna whose 80% of its members nationwide were already consolidated, vowed to stage a transport strike to protest the resolution.

They said the PTMP must proceed despite the failure of some members of their sector to consolidate past the April 30 deadline given personally by PBBM.

Now, it’s a showdown between the consolidated and the unconsolidated jeepneys with the riding public caught in the middle of the maelstrom.

Old traditional jeepneys and modernized mini-buses are already plying different routes. For the public, what matters is there is enough transport going around.

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It looks like that even without the support of the seven majority councilors in the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod, the Tri-Ferry System connecting the cities of Dagupan, Alaminos and San Fernando across the Lingayen Gulf will soon be a reality.

 This was gleaned in an advisory committee meeting attended by Mayor Belen Fernandez in San Fernando City, La Union, presided over by Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, chairman of the Regional Development Council, and DILG Regional Director Jonathan Paul Lausen Jr., RDC Governance Sectoral Committee chairman.

 This was the first advisory committee meeting held since the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) adopted it as a national project.

 Note that the draft resolution submitted by Mayor Belen to the Sanggunian endorsing the project way back in 2022 as a public-private initiative was not even given the courtesy of being taken up in committee hearings controlled by the majority in the council.

 With the NEDA adopting it as a national project, the public and private partnership may have already been discarded and the national government will solely bankroll it. 

 The endorsement needed from the SP majority, whose members are rabid opposers to the administration of Mayor Belen, is no longer necessary. In short, they just lost their relevance as city legislators in this venture, which is a shame. 

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