Pumaren questions GPS requirement for service contracting

A lawmaker has questioned the requirement of GPS devices for the implementation of service contracting for jeepneys and buses, saying the policy may not have been fully studied.

Franz Pumaren, chair of the House Committee on Transportation, said the decision of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to require GPS devices was premature and failed to consider the added cost for drivers amid the ongoing fuel crisis.

“We jumped into GPS kaagad. Did we check other avenues so that operators and drivers won’t struggle? Because that’s still an added cost to them,” Pumaren said.

“Imagine mo—P500 a month—and this is just a test. In times of crisis, we don’t use people as a testing ground,” he added.

The lawmaker was responding to a statement from LTFRB board member Isagani Victorino that the agency had previously required a monthly fee of P500 as part of its service contracting initiative.

Pumaren said there are cheaper alternatives available in the market, noting that some options only require a one-time fee of around P300.

Beyond the device requirement, Pumaren also questioned the implementation of the program, particularly how authorities can ensure that drivers will not abuse the rebate system.

“Naniningil ang bus, naniningil ang jeep ng dating tamang pamasahe, tapos they will get rebate from Department of Transportation, from the government, because of the assistance we provide,” he said.