PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday rejected the proposal to suspend the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
In a media interview in Masantol, Pampanga, Marcos said majority, or around 80 percent of PUV operators have already followed the program and consolidated individual franchises under cooperatives or corporations to facilitate the acquisition of new, environmentally friendly transport vehicles.
“I disagree with them because sinasabi nila minadali. This has been postponed seven times. The modernization has been postponed for seven times and those that have been objecting or have been crying out and asking for suspension are in the minority.
“Eighty percent have already consolidated, so papano naman if yung 20 percent ang magde-decide ‘yung buhay ng 100 percent,” Marcos told reporters.
“Pakinggan natin ang majority at ang majority sinasabi ituloy natin (Let’s listen to the majority and the majority says we should continue),” he added.
Last week, 22 senators filed a resolution calling for the temporary suspension of the PUVMP due to concerns about its supposed unplanned and rushed implementation.
Senate Resolution No. 1096 highlighted the fears of drivers and transport operators to be directly affected by the program, particularly issues related to consolidation into cooperatives.
According to data from the Department of Transportation, the consolidation rate under the program already reached 83.38 percent, with the Office of Transport Cooperatives accrediting 1,781 cooperatives with 262,870 members.
The government is now completing the Local Public Transportation Route Plan (LPTRP) or route rationalization component of the PUVMP. This will determine the number of PUV units to serve a particular route. (PNA)
