DOTr: PTMP to continue despite transport strike

CEBU, Philippines — Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista affirmed that the Public Transportation Modernization Program will continue despite a two-day transport strike in Metro Manila calling for its cancellation.

“We cannot turn our backs on the majority of transport groups who support and subscribe to the Public Transport Modernization Program,” Bautista stated during a press briefing in Manila.

He emphasized that the demands from Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and MANIBELA to scrap the program are non-negotiable.

“These two groups cannot be allowed to derail the program. We are working to follow Senate President Chiz Escudero's instructions to ensure no one is left behind,” Bautista added.

No transport strike in Cebu

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reported that there was no transport strike in Cebu City yesterday.

LTFRB Chairman Guadiz noted that only a few participated in the strike, and free rides were provided as a contingency. The Philippine National Police were also present to ensure peace and order.

“Ikinagagalak ko pong sabihin sa inyo na sa ngayon po ay wala pong na-stranded na pasahero in all these spots na minu-monitor po namin,” LTFRB Board Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III in yesterday’s press briefing in Malacañang.

Guadiz mentioned that 83 percent of the transportation sector has already joined the PTMP, which is sufficient to meet commuters' needs. The PTMP, a flagship government program, aims to revamp the country's road transportation system by improving vehicle safety and quality, route network efficiency, and fleet management.

Kent Francesco Jongoy, assistant chief of the Cebu City Transportation Office, shared feedback from the Federation of Cebu Transport Cooperatives with The Freeman, confirming that there was no transport strike in the city.

The group emphasized that no MPUJ and TPUJ operators and drivers participated due to the importance of public transportation for students, workers, and the commuting public.

The group also stressed that a transport strike is not the solution to transportation problems and would only worsen the situation.

In Cebu, PISTON-Cebu did not join the transport strike but held a transport protest with fewer than 20 participants. They joined the nationwide call to continue protesting against the PTMP implementation. The drivers and small operators gathered at Carreta/Martirez and marched to the LTFRB-7 office.

There, they criticized the government for ignoring the Bacolod City Council Resolution to suspend the PTMP and for facilitating the arrest of six Bacolod jeepney transport leaders on September 19, 2024.

In a statement, PISTON-Cebu vowed to continue petitions, dialogues, and rallies, including the possibility of a transport strike, to oppose the pro-business and foreign-inspired PTMP.

“Instead, PISTON-Cebu advocates for a progressive, nationalist, and pro-people program to advance public transport. This includes encouraging local assemblers to refurbish and supply jeepneys, making public transport sustainable and affordable for ordinary people,” the statement concluded.

Modernization program

Under the Public Transportation Modernization Program (PTMP), jeepney units that are 15 years old or older will be replaced with modern vehicles equipped with Euro 4 engines or electrically-powered engines with solar panel roofing.

This initiative aims to transform the country's road transportation system by enhancing vehicle safety and quality, improving route network efficiency, and optimizing fleet management. The goal is to provide commuters with modern public utility vehicles that are comfortable, accessible, safe, and affordable.

The largest transport group in the country, known as the Magnificent 7, has reiterated its support for the PTMP. This group, which includes operators, drivers, and other transport workers, has reported significant benefits from the program.

The Magnificent 7 comprises Pasang Masda, the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, the Stop and Go Transport Coalition, the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas, and the UV Express National Alliance of the Philippines.

In Cebu, the Federation of Cebu Transport Cooperatives and Allied Cooperative and Corporation, which consists of 22 transport cooperatives with over 1,400 modernized public utility jeepneys, has also expressed strong support for the PTMP.

Transport cooperative leaders noted that a majority, 81 percent or 144,868 jeepney units, have already been consolidated, compared to the 19 percent or 36,217 units nationwide that remain unconsolidated.

The group emphasized that suspending the Public Transportation Modernization Program (PTMP) would have significant negative economic repercussions for various stakeholders. One of the key objectives of the PTMP is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality by phasing out old, smoke-belching jeepneys.

According to the group, halting the program would delay the transition to cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles, exacerbating environmental issues and contributing to climate change. Given the urgent need to address climate change and air pollution, it is crucial to prioritize the implementation of sustainable transportation solutions.

The group also highlighted that it has been compliant with government regulations, such as the consolidation of franchises, and therefore, it is justifiable for the government to support them over the "noisy few" who oppose the program.

It added that suspending the PTMP would jeopardize the investments already made, disrupt the plans of operators who have begun modernizing their fleets, and most importantly, put the safety and well-being of citizens at risk.

The group noted that each of its members has outstanding loan obligations ranging from ?200 million to ?300 million with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines. — (FREEMAN)