Members of a transport group gathered at Fuente Circle on Monday bringing their banners that express their protest against the proposed suspension of modernization program. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) was relieved after the unity walk of the modern jeepney cooperatives and corporations here went peacefully.
For the first time on Monday, members of the jeepney cooperatives and corporations in Cebu gathered to protest against the resolution of 22 senators pushing for the temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).
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The protesters brought with them banners bearing the statement “We want full implementation not suspension” during their unity walk from Fuente Osmeña to the LTFRB-7 office on Monday morning.
LTFRB-7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. told CDN Digital that he was thankful the transport groups did not hold a transport strike on Monday, and he was grateful they did not go violent during their protest outside their office.
“I understand the outburst of their emotions. Ila man pud gituman and I am monitoring remotely. Nagstart sila’g 9 diri sa Fuente then around 10:30 yata natapos and estimated number of participants is more than one thousand,” Montealto said.
(I understand the outburst of their emotions. They really followed it and I am monitoring remotely. They started at 9 a.m. here in Fuente then around 10:30 they ended it and an estimated number of participants is more than one thousand.)
Cebu operators 1st to follow modernization
He said he acknowledged and understood the concerns of the members because it was their right to air their complaints, noting that he was told they were the first ones who immediately followed the government’s plan on the modernization program.
“Actually, we are one of the primer diri sa Cebu sa modernization and they embraced, nagpalit sila diretso og mga modern PUJs, then mao nang gikasubo nila nga sa diretso nang i-suspend ang modernization program,” Montealto added.
(Actually, we are one of the primers here in Cebu in modernization and they embraced it, they bought directly the modern PUJs, then that is why they are sad that they would just immediately suspend the modernization program.)
Montealto said in Region 7, there are around 1,400 modern PUJ units. With the resolution for its suspension, the LTFRB-7 director said he was worried it would create chaos if the operators would halt their operations.
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“Kay ang tanan nga mga ruta naay mga modern PUJ and these number of units nga maoy gidependehan sa atong mga sumasakay. Hopefully, nga maabot gyud nila ang ilang gusto mahitabo didto sa kaulohan ug sa atong Senado nga mapaminaw sad ilang side,” he said.
(This is because all routes have modern PUJs and these number of units are being depended to by our commuters. Hopefully, that they can reach what they want there in the capital and our Senate would listen to their side.)
At present, there are already 91 percent consolidated jeepneys in Region 7, Montealto said. The remaining number of jeepneys were “negligible.”
“Kung i-base nato sa 8,000 nga number of units combining the PUJs and UV Express, masulti nato nga naa pay 9 percent or around 8,000. Pero sa tinuod lang bisag giunsa namog ihap, gamay na lang kaayo ang unconsolidated,” he said.
(If we base these to the 8,000 number of units combining the PUJs and UV Express, we can say that there are still 9 percent or around 8,000. But its a fact that however we count it, the number of unconsolidated vehicles are really quite a small one.)
He said that Cebu had a huge number of consolidated jeepneys, therefore he said he was worried the operators might get upset if the proposed resolution would be passed.
Operations will continue
Meanwhile, Montealto said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB central office were positive that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. would support the modernization program.
“Wala’y gisulti ang LTFRB central office ug ang DOTr about the contingencies, about mahitabo man gani nga dunay suspension, kay naa gihapon sa ilang huna-huna nga ang Presidente, naa gyud mobarog sa iyang gisulti nga ang modernization magpadayon,” Montealto said.
(The LTFRB Central office and the DOTr had not mentioned any contingencies, if the suspension would push through, because in their mind, the President has a firm commitment to his word that the modernization program would continue.)
Twenty-two senators have filed a resolution pushing for the temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by the affected sector.
Only Senator Risa Hontiveros did not sign Senate Resolution No. 1096, which was filed on July 29.
Those who signed the resolution were Senate President Francis Escudero, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, and Sen. Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.
The other senators who signed were Nancy Binay, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Christopher “Bong” Go, Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
In a statement, LTFRB Chairman Teofile Guadiz III assured that the “drivers, operators, and stakeholders, who participated in the PUVMP that it would proceed as long as there would be no directive coming from the President and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to halt the program.” | with reports from Luisa Cabato and Maila Ager, Inquirer.net