5 big coop chairs say PUVMP is for commuters' welfare

Five big jeepney cooperatives' chairmen on Friday joined the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board officials in saying better things about the goverment's Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

In a press conference at the LTFRB headquarters, Edmundo Cadavona, chairman of the Pandacan Transport Service Cooperatives, said they were already members of that cooperative even before the PUVMP was introduced and eventually implemented.

Cadavona's coop he said now has 60 units of modern jeepneys with 120 members who are either employees and owners of the PTSC who received a fix salary with benefits like other regular workers have (SSS, Pagibigand Phil health) "plus 13 month pay."

Ferdinand Lopangosy of the 997 Sandigan Service Cooperatives which have 35 modern units and 94 members, said they now have 65 drivers and 65 conductors serving the 13,000 commuters daily.

"Di kami nag-kakaagawan ng ruta. Mahalaga, maserbisyuhan ang mga pasahero," he said.

Freddie Fernandez of the Taguig Transport Service Coop which ply the route of Taguig Bagong Bayan to Pasig Palengke, on the other hand said they have now more or less 400 members since they have become as the pilot group of modernization since 2018.

"PUVMP is 2017, we were then consist of separate routes group which have 15 units, ten and even five that were joined and consolidated the following year. We learned the trade of fleet management. If we we're not consolidated, commuters still have a hard time going home," Fernandez explained, noting that before, individual jeepney drivers and operators would just stopped playing once they think they have enough for the boundary and extra money for their family.

"Today, passengers who are late in getting home home because of their work, still has a ride because of our fleet management," Fernandez said.

Ramil Padrigo of the CURUDA Transport Cooperative that plies the route from Cubao to Sta. Lucia Pasig on the other hand said theirs is 50 investors that ha 30 units and 30 staff.

"Ang pagbabago nag-benefit ay commuters. Sa aming interview sa kanila, nagpapasalamat sila dahil di na sila pinapawisan, di naaalilabukan. Sa traditional isa lang driver, dito sa amin dalawa, so may natutulungan pa kaming nga pamilya. Sa fleet management naipapatupad ang single dispatching ng dispatchers. Naseserbisyuhan ang mga pasahero kahit peak hours, di nagaagawan. Bawal din ang trip cutting. Di na magdadalawang sakay Ang aming mga pasahero," Padrigo explained.

Miswel Melina's Juan Transport Service Coop plying Lagro- Novaliches has10 modernize unit and will be one year of existence this 1 February.

"Ayaw namin may maiwan. Modernization not level up the transport (vehicle) but also our livelihood, naramdaman namin pagbabago. Sa pagbabaybay namin may mga schools, tatlong malls, kung saan mga commuters pagdating ng 7pm wala nang masakyang traditional, but now, our operations runs till 11pm nakakauwi sila nang maayos," Melina said.

This is aside, Melina added that they are now using an environment-friendly vehicle "in compliance of R.A. 8749 and R.A. 9729 (environmental laws)."

LTFRB Chairman meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to the more than 70 percent of jeepney drivers and operators who accept the modernization.

He said they are always open to any jeepney groups to iron out issues.

"But of course the deadline stands," he said.

Meanwhile, Atty. Zona Russet Tamayo, LTFRB Metro Manila Director said while there are '300 unconsolidated routes', when they mapped it out, it showed that "most of them are short distance routes."

"That's how fragmented was the system is. This short distance routes will now be serve by (modernized jeep) longer routes," she explained.

In case the initial run of this loner routes creates some transport crisis, Tamayo assures that local goverments and other agencies will be providing free rides to the riding public come 1 February.

LGUs coordinated for contingency plans down to the grounds para sa mga maii- stranded,

This was due to the fact that in the metroplis' 40,000 traditional jeepneys units, only over half of them (22,000 units) are currently registered, according to Tamayo. "97 percent of them ay nagconsolidate naman."

Andy Ortega of the DoTr Transport Cooperative Office reiterated that jeepney cooperatives are willing to absorb the drivers who will be displaced by the modernization.