THE protesting owners of the traditional jeepneys being phased out by the modernization plan of the national government have reason to celebrate the totally unexpected decision of President Marcos Jr, to extend the deadline for their consolidation to April 30, after rejecting appeals last month to extend the deadline.

Of course, it doesn’t matter to the jeepney owners that the extension will continue to create more complications for them and the government in seeing to the realization of the modernization plan. A victory today is all that matters because they are no longer confident that the government can be pushed back again, and again.

Recall that recent past deadlines on the modernization plan were never met because the first deadline was postponed. In our view, the intervention of PBBM last week, who obviously had a change of heart got political reasons, will now make it difficult for any agency’s deadline to be taken seriously. The protesting sector now knows the country has a populist president who can overturn final decisions when influenced by series of protest actions, particularly when poverty is invoked.

Among the members of Piston and Manebela, they will likely resort to the same strategy to foil the next April 30 deadline. More than ever, their subsequent calls for complete withdrawal of the modernization plan can be expected to gain more support given this successful protest action.

For the officers and personnel of the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board, the lead agency for the transport program, the presidential intervention is a blow to its credibility and capability after what appeared to be their last stand for a final deadline. On the other hand, the extension gives the impression that it was made to save face for the national government. Was PBBM told to extend the deadline because the contingency to keep public transport system support for the populace is not in in place despite series of public assurances?

Whatever reasons truly made PBBM do the unexpected turnaround, the extension of the deadline served the agenda of protesting sector but did a lot of harm to the capabilities and credibility of the national government to accomplish a reform program particularly where poverty can be invoked.

Through it all, we applaud the AutoPro for working hard to serve both its members and the government and chose not to join the protest action. It showed the organization’s willingness to work with government whatever the difficulties. For this alone, LTFRB should reciprocate AutoPro’s position and look kindly on its petitions.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments