However, on Monday, jeepney drivers held a protest action in Iloilo City.

DRIVERS said they were not able to reach 15 units as required by the PUV Modernization Program for them to consolidate their franchises into a cooperative.

"Dito nagsimula sa coop-coop na ito. Ito ang sumira sa amin. Hindi lang ako, lahat kami may pinapaaral," one driver said.

(This started from this coop-coop. This destroyed us. Not just me, but all of us who are sending children to school.)

"Nangako sila na araw-araw magbibigay sila ng 500 pesos. Hanggang ngayon wala kahit singko. Magugutom ang operator at driver kapag ganiyan," another driver said.

(They promised that they will give us P500 daily. Up to now, we have not received even five centavos. Operators and drivers will go hungry if this goes on.)

Some operators asked the government that the franchises be granted to individuals, not cooperatives.

"Ang isang panawagan namin, kung mag-consolidate ang individual, ibigay sa individual ang pagkakataon na sa kanilang pangalan pa rin ang franchise," one of them said.

(One of our appeals is that if an individual will consolidate, give him the opportunity to have the franchise to still be given in his name.)

In Talisay City, Negros Occidental, hundreds of jeepney drivers and operators asked for an extension of the April 30 deadline for PUV consolidation, a part of the PUV Modernization Program.

"Itong kilos-protesta (sana) maisip ng presidente at makita niya na ganito pa karami ang mawawalan ng kabuhayan at magugutom," UNDOC PISTON chairman Rodolfo Gardoce said.

(With this protest action, hopefully the president will see that many will lose their livelihood and will go hungry.)

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Region 6 said more than 60% of public utility jeeps in Western Visayas have already undergone consolidation.

Started in 2017, the PUV Modernization Program aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace units that were not deemed roadworthy under the standards of the Land Transportation Office.