Jeepney modernization hearing set Monday

THE SENATE on Monday will resume its inquiry into the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) jeepney modernization program to thresh out issues that continue to hound the project, such as the insufficient government subsidy to jeepney drivers for upgraded vehicles.

Senator Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, chair of the Senate committee on public services, said she will clarify with the DoTr the possible effects of the program to jeepney drivers’ jobs amid rising fuel prices.

“It is worrying because many depend on that and the problem with DoTr is that they want to hasten the modernization and to give franchises to those who can modernize quickly,” she told reporters in Pangasinan on Saturday.

“On Monday, we will discuss this in the Senate because we really want to know from DoTr what really is their plan because many will lose jobs, especially the jeepney drivers,” she added.

The DoTr plans to replace public utility vehicles aged 15 years or older under its Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization program. It had placed the cost of a new jeepney between P1.5 million to P1.8 million, with the government subsidizing P80,000 per vehicle.

Ms. Llamanzares said the P80,000 government subsidy was insufficient for the drivers who are required to purchase the upgraded jeepneys. She also noted that not many drivers could afford the loans because their profits were not enough to pay off the debt.

“The unit is more than one million (pesos), so how are they going to pay that? So if the DoTr is serious in giving jobs to our jeepney drivers, we should provide greater assistance to them,” she said.

“We are appealing that they come up with an orderly implementation. We are for modernization, but we don’t want drivers to lose their jobs,” Ms. Poe added.

Aside from the PUV modernization program, the Senate committee on public services will also tackle the Transport Network Vehicles Service (TNVS) sector and bills concerning the maritime sector.