House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Thursday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to extend the implementation period of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and review it in full even as he called on the House transportation committee to look into reports of alleged corrupt practices in its conceptualization and eventual implementation.
“The reports allege that existing transport officials are in cahoots with previous officials in negotiating for the imported modern jeepney units that will replace the old units,” Romualdez said in a statement.
The terms of the PUVMP had lapsed four days earlier when PUV owners and operators were given the opportunity to consolidate or become members of either corporations or cooperatives to more easily access financing for the modern units they require and obtain regulatory approval for the endeavor.
Romualdez said he will also call on the chairman of the House committee on transport to conduct a motu propio investigation into reports that corruption may have tainted the entire process.
“While we strive towards modernity and efficiency, we remain steadfast in safeguarding the welfare and livelihood or our jeepney drivers who are an integral part of this journey. We can achieve a transportation system that is reflective of the Philippines’s growth, respecting our traditions while paving the way for a more sustainable future,” he said.
Romualdez is concerned that at the core of the modernization program are the jeepney drivers who he said are not only hardworking individuals but are the backbone of the local transport industry for decades.
“Their welfare is our primordial concern. As we transition to modernized jeepneys, we recognize the challenges faced by drivers and operators.”
According to Romualdez, the jeepney drivers and operators require the protection of their livelihood while transiting towards a modernized transport system, including affordable financing options and training programs that help ease in the adoption to new technologies.
