Some members of Piston-Cebu held a protest along Gorordo Avenue in Cebu City, as part of a transport strike against the PUV Modernization Program. | CDN Photo / Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Traditional jeepney operators and advocates in Cebu, after months of public protests against the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program, are now applauding a recent development in the Senate.
The Cebu Chapter of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston), a federation of public transport groups and associations in the Philippines primarily composed of traditional jeepney operators, supports Senate Resolution 1096.
This resolution calls for the temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), formerly known as the PUV Modernization Program.
“Gina kalipay sa Piston Cebu ang maong lakang sa mga senador nga hunongon usa ang maong programa para dugang pa matun-an ug mapahaom gyud sa kahimtang sa atong mga gamay nga mga operator dinhi sa atong nasud ug ang kakayahan nila sa pagpalit anang mahalon nga mga sakyanan,” said Greg Perez, president of Piston-Cebu.
Piston-Cebu staged two rounds of protests last November and December against the PUV consolidation program.
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The Senate Resolution No. 1096, filed by Senator Raffy Tulfo and supported by 21 other senators, calls for the suspension of the government’s PTMP.
The resolution highlights concerns about the program’s “rushed” implementation and the negative impact on small jeepney operators and drivers.
However, this support is not universally shared. Modern jeepney operators and drivers who have already complied with the program feel differently.
They oppose the resolution, as they have invested in modern vehicles and adapted to the new requirements. The suspension of the program, they said, could undermine their investments and create an uneven playing field in the industry.
“Gilupig ta nila [traditional transport operators] sa pagsaba saba,” said Billy Pasilaban, president of Cebu Mepza Lapu-Lapu Drivers and Operators Transport Cooperative (CMLDOT) during the press conference on August 1.
“Wala ta [modern jeepney operators] gipaminaw nga kita man unta gadala sa ila programa sa modernization. Ngano mulaban ang gobyerno sa gamay nga daghan man mi diri?” he added.
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The modern jeepney operators have expressed concerns about a perceived “bias” in the Senate resolution. They pointed out that 81 percent of jeepney operators have already consolidated their units in compliance with the program, while only 19 percent have not.
Despite being the majority, they feel the resolution primarily considers the interests of the non-compliant minority. This has led to frustrations among modern jeepney operators who have invested significantly in upgrading their vehicles and adhering to the new regulations.
“81% mi ang nisanong, niuban, nisunod sa gobyerno. Pero ngano ang higayon karon, kami pay gisuspenso, kami pay dili supportahan, gialanganin… Bias ang resolution… Ngano ang 19% lang ila paminawon?” the president of the Mabolo Transport Cooperatives (Mabolo TC) said. /clorenciana