PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a three-month extension for the consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUVs) until April 30, 2024 from the last imposed deadline of Dec. 31 last year.
But Baguio is of a different mind.
In a resolution unanimously passed on Monday’s regular session, the Baguio City Council has, in a bid to aid the local transport network, called for the extension of the status quo with regards to jeepneys due for phaseout.
The resolution seeks a one-year grant of provisional authority to operate for public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators in Baguio.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had given operators until January 31 to consolidate into transport fleets as part of the procedure to modernize into the new PUJs pushed by the government.
Failure to consolidate would result in losing the jeepney franchise, which means an inability to legally operate as public transport.
Councilor Benny Bomogao, also the head of the city’s transportation committee, said that a major point of contention in the transition to the modernized jeepneys is the hefty price tag. A modern model costs on average at least P2.4 million.
Bomogao has also proposed that the government at least give tax incentives to operators who make the switch and or consolidate into the associations, and has asked for additional data to find out how many have successfully completed the consolidation and how many are liable to still consolidate.
The council also asked transport agencies to continue allowing transport organizations who could not comply with the requirements due to the financial burdens.
On June 19, 2017, the Department of Transportation and Railways (|DOTR) issued Department Order No. 2017-011 or the omnibus guidelines on the planning and identification of public road transportation services and franchise issuance, otherwise known as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
As part of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), operators are mandated to be part of a cooperative or cooperation to consolidate franchises under a single juridical entity that owns a single franchise and operates their specific routes.
The consolidation also requires the replacement of old PUJ units to modern Euro-4 compliant units, which many operators are unable to afford.
The president or PBBM had at first rejected the call for an extension with the LTFRB saying that PUVs that have not met the deadline can operate only until Jan. 31. But with only 45,721 units or 76 percent of PUVs and utility vehicle (UV) express having consolidated, sectors have insisted on an extension. The House Committee on Transportation also adopted a resolution urging President Marcos to reconsider the lapsed Dec. 31 consolidation deadline.
“While the intention of the PUVMP is beyond question and considering that the modernization of public transportation is long overdue, the needed reforms must be done in accordance with law and due process to ensure the protection of the affected stakeholders and the riding public in general,” the resolution read.
