Gadon to jeepney drivers: Be cooperative

Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon on Thursday called on jeepney drivers and operators to take advantage of the extension provided by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and for "be cooperative with the government."

"Drivers will not be out of work if the operators will become more cooperative , open-minded and care about progress and true public safety and convenience," Gadon explained.

"Hindi naman drivers ang problema dyan, ang mga operators na ayaw maglabas puhunan kahit more than 100 times na nila nabawi ang halaga ng dyip, gusto nila kumita pigain ang pakinabang sa dyip nila (The drivers are not the problem, their operators does not want to shell out the capital. They wanted to earn more with their old jeepney)," he added.

Gadon said the public transport operates on the basis of public convenience and safety. While other countries, "even the perceived poor Asean countries are into trains, electric bus, e-trike, the Phils is still basking and ridiculously, shamelessly proud of the lokbu antiquated jurrassic, dilapidated manila jeepney."

"Nasaan ang public convenience sa mga bulok, karag-karag, mausok, mabaho, mainit, unsafe na mga bulok na jeep?" he asked.

He suggested that old and almost dilapidated jeepney should be used in provinces for agricultural use.

"Look at Cambodia , the cheapest transpo is E-trike , magaganda , walang usok , they are even allowed to pick and drop passengers in 5-star hotels! The hotel concierge will even book for you if you prefer eTrike than a grab car or taxi .Kasi magaganda ang mga etrike nila , walang mga kabayo at banderitas piesta , at walang mga nakakabingi masakit sa tenga na mga basag tunog speakers," the Poverty Alleviation Secretary explained.

"Pag ipinatupad ang modernization, mapililitan ang mga operators na magpalit ng modern jeepney... so may tarbaho uli mga drivers," Gadon said.

Manibela, Piston to still push for scrapping PUVMP

Transport group Manibela and Piston on the other end, said they will still push for the scrapping of public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).

Manibela president Mar Valbuena said the Congress inquiry to the issue on Wednesday revealed that consolidation or the jeepney drivers and operators, mandatory joining or forming of cooperatives will not solve the transport woes and the plight of the jeepney sectors.

Valbuena said many of them were declined by transform cooperatives to join while others could not afford the amount of joining cooperatives.

"Kahit na alam natin na ang Pangulo na ang nagsalita, umaasa tayo na magkaron siya ng puso at magkaron ng awa dito sa mga mawawalan ng trabaho na mga drivers at operators,” Valbuena said.