Union hits timing of transport program

By Nitz Arancon
Correspondent .

THE National Confederation of Transport Unions is questioning the timing of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program of the Department of Transportation.

In an interview, Joel Gabatan, NCTU vice president for Northern Mindanao, said the program’s implementation is ill-timed because most of the public utility operators and drivers neither have the logistics nor the resources to buy the “modern vehicle” which costs P3 million per unit.

However, Gabatan said they are not against the modernization program of the Duterte administration.

He suggested that the program be implemented in 2022 when the operators and drivers could be more prepared.

“Wala pa kami experience sa Cooperative, mao nga nangayo kami sa gobyerno sa five-year transition period, pero tulo ra katuig ang gihatag kutob  ra sa 2020,” said Gabatan.

For his part, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-10 Regional Director Alan Amonoden Guro argued that 2020 is the best year to implement the program.

“Ipatimbang nalang kanang karaan nga mga jeepney kay dili na man kana i-rehistro sa LTO ug dili na pud kana hatagan  ug franchise sa LTFRB,” Guro said.

Earlier, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra said the government is planning on give steel manufacturers permission to build their own melting plants where the dilapidated jeepneys could be melted into other steel products.