Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) — A UV Express group appealed to the government to bring back more units on the road, as the 980 vehicles allowed to ply their routes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces starting Monday cannot accommodate hundreds of thousands of passengers still in need of transportation.
In a statement on Sunday, CODE-X chief Rosalino Marable said the 980 UV Express units can only ferry 10,000 passengers a day, still leaving 290,000 more passengers looking for other modes of transportation to get to their places of work.
For the group, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has set “unfair” and “unjust” policy directions.
“Kulang na kulang po sa demand ng mga pasahero kasi ‘yong (It would really be insufficient for the demand of the passengers because the) 980 units can only ferry about 10,000 passengers a day. There are many routes not included in the LTRFB-approved routes,” Marable said.
“The UV Express Sector is moving about 300,000 passengers a day, leaving some 290,000 passengers without the means of transportation to go to their work,” he added, noting that they are willing to implement health protocols as the sector is considered the “vehicle of choice” of young professionals.
“We are willing to remove the ‘jump seat’ to prevent crowding of passengers inside the vehicle,” Marable said. “During the Covid Pandemic, we are willing to reduce the passengers from 18 to just 9.”
He added that drivers are willing to install protective plastic barriers, purchase thermal scanner, alcohol, face mask and have forms to be filled up for tracking purposes. They have also devised a system in the payment of fares to reduce contact in handling money.
Marable also reasoned that the implementation of a number coding scheme will at least help UV Express operators and drivers earn money to feed their families.
“To our mind, the proposed scheme is more equitable and less cumbersome to adopt. The least we expect is 20 percent of the total UV Express vehicles by using the number Coding scheme based on the last digit of the car plate…This method will NOT go against the current color coding scheme being implemented by MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority),” he added.
LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra previously reminded the drivers and operators to strictly comply with health protocols such as wearing of face masks and gloves. Passengers must pay for the exact fare prior to boarding the vehicle. Violators may run the risk of having their franchise suspended or cancelled.
READ: 980 UV Express units allowed in 47 routes in Metro Manila, nearby provinces starting June 29
Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark De Leon previously announced that they will first allow UV express units to resume operations, to be followed by traditional jeepneys.
A two-phased schedule is currently being implemented for various modes of transport in Metro Manila. For Phase 1, rail lines, bus augmentation systems, taxis, and transport network vehicle services have resumed from June 1 to 21. Tricycles were also allowed in some localities.
For Phase 2, which started on June 22, modern public utility vehicles were allowed back on the road.
Mass transportation had been suspended for more than two months since Luzon and other parts of the country were placed under enhanced community quarantine in mid-March to curb the spread of COVID-19.
