PISTON urges SC: Issue TRO vs PUVMP before April 30 consolidation deadline
MANILA, Philippines — A progressive transport group called on the Supreme Court to immediately issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against a controversial policy a week before the April 30 franchise consolidation deadline set for jeepneys and UV Express units.
This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that there would no longer be any more extension in connection to the francise consolidation under the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
Units left unconsolidated into cooperatives and corporations starting May 2024 would be considered colorum and would be prohibitted from plying their routes.
"Let's not wait for more operators to be deep in debt due to consolidation and other inhuman maneuvers under the PUVMP," said PISTON deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon in a Filipino release this Tuesday.
"As the days inch closer to the deadline, worry and uncertainty racks up in the hearts or poor drivers and operators."
Under the PUVMP, operators would need to transition from old jeepneys and UV Express units into modern PUVs 27 months after the consolidation deadline. However, a single unit could cost P2 million or more.
While Filipino manufactuers like Francisco Motors offer modern jeepneys at around P985,000, this is still more expensive compared to traditional jeepney units that only costs around P200,000 to P600,000 each.
PISTON and its legal counsel Neri Colmenares earlier filed for a petition for a TRO before the SC last December. However, the high court has yet to issue a decision.
"We hope that the Court would understand and stop the [Department of Transportation] and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] tfrom setting a deadline on our livelihood," Baylon ended.
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