As another transport strike is expected to be mounted today, Senator Imee Marcos has urged the administration of his brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to “decisively implement, without further delay, concrete solutions” to pending issues hounding the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“We are still calling for extensive consultations with [PUV] owners, drivers, commuters, habal-habal, and even the students who commute daily,” she said.

“Transportation is like the blood, the circulation of the nation... that’s what keeps businesses running, brings students to school, and takes the sick to hospitals. How will we move if our drivers are not around?” she added.

Senator Marcos said an “immediate, comprehensive consultation process” with all stakeholders is “key to solving festering problems in the stalled modernization push, most importantly, the inability of PUV operators and drivers to afford modern units.”

She said modernizing the transport sector must not come at the expense of drivers whose only means of livelihood is driving their traditional jeepneys, and the riding public — both trying to make ends meet amid rising inflation and high cost of living.

Marcos emphasized that extending the deadline for franchise consolidation until 30 April “will not resolve the issues.”

“Whether there’s an extension or not, we cannot force our drivers if the purchase of vehicles is not yet sorted out; if it’s still unclear who will be responsible if debts are not paid. All of these are very important,” she explained.

The government subsidizes P210,000 to P280,000 of the estimated P2.5 million cost of a new Euro-4 PUV model, making it difficult for ordinary jeepney drivers to procure a modern unit.

“Where will they get P2.4 million each? The same goes for the cooperatives; they say everyone should join the transport cooperative, but until now, we know that many are complaining that they used to be owners, but now they will just be employees of the cooperative,” she lamented.

Jeepney operators who fail to meet the consolidation deadline will lose their franchises and must cease operations on their routes. Senator Marcos stressed that this will exacerbate an already problematic transport situation.

According to transport groups Manibela and Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide, thousands of jeepney and UV express drivers nationwide will participate in a two-day nationwide strike.

The transport strike was announced after President Marcos declared that the deadline for individual PUV operators and drivers to merge into cooperatives and corporations would no longer be extended.

President Marcos extended the consolidation deadline for public utility vehicles, previously scheduled for 31 January, until 30 April.