Transport officials: No timeline yet on jeepney replacement plan

MANILA, Philippines — The government is still conducting route rationalization studies as part of its plan to upgrade public transportation, officials told a House panel on Thursday.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark De Leon said that these studies, and efforts on the local government level outside urban centers, will need to be completed before the actual replacement and modernization of older public utility vehicles can happen.

"What we have now is we have oversupply in some portions, an oversupply of units," he said in a hearing of the House Committee on Transportation. Meanwhile, he said, public transportation is practically inaccessible in some parts of the country.

He said that route rationalization — including determining which modes of transport are needed for particular routes — is "primordial" to modernization, a point that Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra agreed with.

"I would like to affirm absolutely that route rationalization precedes any modernization program," the LTFRB chief said.

De Leon said studies are already underway in Metro Manila in cooperation with experts from UP Diliman. Studies in Cebu are being done in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency and in Davao with the Asian Development Bank.

Local government units outside these urban centers are also expected to create their own local transportation plans and routes.

Because rationalization involves determining the appropriate mode of public transport based on public demand, some routes may be assigned higher-capacity vehicles like buses.

In a speech on Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said old jeepneys would be towed by Jan. 1, 2018. Delgra clarified, however, that the supposed deadline was to stress a "sense of urgency" for the modernization program.

The final routes for the Metro Manila study are expected to be released in early 2018.

READ: Duterte threatens drivers, operators to modernize jeepneys or get towed

LTFRB: Transport groups consulted

Delgra and Lizada told the committee that consultations were done with stakeholders — including transport groups like Piston, which held a two-day transport strike this week.

"In the regional consultations in Davao and Cebu and even in Manila, they were there. We have been very open about it," Delgra said.

He said that LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada, also the board's spokesperson, even met with Piston national president George San Mateo outside the LTFRB's office gates when the group held a rally there.

Lizada said transport groups — many of whom support the program to replace old jeepneys with more fuel efficient and modern units — have proposed "calibrated" modernization and that the government is open to that. Under the proposal, transport groups can replace their oldest units first.

San Mateo, who was at the hearing, said that his group does not oppose modernization but said the program favors vehicle manufacturers and transportation corporations and not jeepney drivers, operators or passengers.

"It aims to force us to buy new units that we cannot afford to pay for," he said. He said the plan will not bring modernization but a monopoly by large corporations.

READ: Why some transport groups oppose jeepney phaseout

Franchise guidelines worry single-unit operators

Zeny Maranan, president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, meanwhile said FEJODAP supports modernization because it is concerned about climate change and passenger safety.

She said, however, that they are worried about some guidelines in the omnibus franchising scheme, which, she said, will require operators to have a fleet of vehicles before being given a franchise.

She said FEJODAP believes the "fleet" requirement should only apply to applicants for new franchises. "How about our single proprietors?" she said, referring driver-operators with just one unit. She said that bank loans for new units were only for cooperatives and corporations.

The Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations also said that it supports modernization but members are worried about the costs of replacing units. Its president, Efren De Luna, told House members that drivers and operators are worried their sector will be taken over by corporations.

The government has announced cash subsidies and loan facilities for the modernization program and has said that consolidation of units into a fleet will mean lower maintenance costs for drivers.

READ: With phaseout of old jeepneys, P1.5 billion set for PUVs

Zarate: Drivers had valid concerns

Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list) said transport groups like Piston should not be castigated and cursed for exercising a constitutional right to protest.

He added if Piston had not organized the transport strike, the concerns of organizations supportive of the modernization program might not have been heard. 

"Yes, even Piston is for modernization but may have some concerns. There were issues raised and the response was intimidating and undermining (protesters)," he said in English and Filipino.

"Disallowing one franchise-one operator-one unit, that's a valid concern. Fleet management, that's a valid concern," he said.

Delgra said the transport strike could not have been done without consolidation among Piston members.  He said more progress would be reached "[i]f you are going to translate that energy positively" to address the problems of the public transportation sector. — Jonathan de Santos