DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – Twenty-two transport groups in the Ilocos Region have declared Monday their full support for the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program.
This came after the Manibela drivers’ group declared a three-day transport strike in Manila from Mar. 24 to 26 in protest of the program.
Cristal Sibayan, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), said they are urging President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to continue the modernization program despite opposition.
“For Region 1, we are [already] 98 percent consolidated,” Sibayan said.
This means that most transport groups in the Ilocos Region have accepted modern and eco-friendly vehicles.
Jessie Quiroz, president of the Dagupan City Bonuan Loop Transport Service Cooperative (DCBLTSC), said that modernization is important as it provides safer, more efficient, and eco-friendly vehicles for the public.
“We really want to modernize because this is an advancement for our region–replacing old units with environmentally friendly ones,” Quiroz said.
Raymundo Bitania, liaison officer of the Northern Ilocos City of Laoag Transport Service Cooperative (NICOLTSC), called on the government to continue supporting the program, explaining that modernization benefits both transport cooperatives and commuters.
“To our government, we hope you continue supporting and implementing the PUV modernization program because ever since we embraced it, it has helped and improved our cooperative. We have seen how beneficial they are for our commuters,” Bitania stated.
Micko Rosario, a commuter who travels between Binmaley town and Dagupan City, said that replacing old units with modernized jeepneys will provide convenience, provided that affected drivers’ livelihoods remain secure.
“It would be better if we switched to modernized transportation. Some of the traditional jeepneys have been operating for nearly a decade without proper maintenance, which poses life-threatening risks, and we don’t want that to happen. The modern vehicles are eco-friendly, as they do not emit excessive harmful gases or smoke,” Rosario said.
The support from transport groups and commuters shows that many people are accepting the PUV modernization program.
Support from the government remains important to ensure the success of this initiative. (CCMT/JCDR, PIA Pangasinan)
