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BY RESEL JOY TIANERO
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
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ILOILO City – In this city, “almost 90 percent” of passenger jeepneys were 15 years old or older, according to Atty. Jose Marie Lamparero, spokesperson of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6.
These jeepneys were in danger of being phased out if the transport modernization plan of the government pushes through.
The jeepney started as remodeled army vehicles left behind by US forces after World War II, and became a showcase of Filipino ingenuity and resourcefulness. Mainly patronized by low- to middle-income passengers, it has become the core of Philippine public transport.
According to Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston Panay) leader Edgar Salarda, the phaseout would displace jeepney drivers and operators, and their families.
Piston Panay-affiliated drivers again staged a rally in front of LTFRB Region 6 in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro district early this week against the proposed phasing out of passenger jeepneys 15 years old and older.
LTFRB acknowledged the drivers’ right to protest, said Lamparero. But he made it clear that the department order on that has yet to be approved.
The order called for the modernization of public transport that included passenger jeepneys, buses, vans, and taxis.
There were about 236,000 public utility jeepneys in the country, with Iloilo city and province accounting for about 5,700 of them, according to Lamparero.
“The government proposes brand new jeepneys. It’s normal for jeepney operators to react negatively, especially those with units 15 years old and older. They wouldn’t be able to have them registered anymore,” he said.
The modernization of Philippine public transport aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety.
Most jeepneys were not compliant with smoke emission standards, said Lamparero.
But Salarda said many families will be economically dislocated by the phaseout. By his group’s estimate, there were over 50 thousand drivers and operators in Panay Island.
According to Piston Panay, the phaseout would deny the drivers of their livelihood without really resolving the problems such as pollution and traffic that it purportedly seeks to address.
Under the transport modernization plan, jeepney operators will reportedly be forced to buy brand new units only from manufacturers accredited by the Land Transportation Office.
“This arrangement smacks of opportunism and greed in the guise of transport modernization. The plan is clearly about making money,” said Salarda.
If Piston Panay were to be believed, jeepney drivers and operators will also be required to use an “automatic fare collection system” and expensive Global Positioning System.
“Over half of passenger jeepneys will disappear from the roads if this plan pushes through,” warned Salarda.
If the government really wanted to reduce air pollution, said Salarda, there is an alternative to phasing out old jeepneys – requiring operators to overhaul their engines and closely monitor if this is being complied.
Even jeepney mechanics will be dislocated by the phaseout, said Salarda./PN
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