Metro Manila, Philippines—Transport groups Manibela and PISTON vowed to challenge the apprehension of jeepneys with unconsolidated franchises as the deadline lapsed for these public utility vehicles to be on the road.
The two groups picketed in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City on Thursday, May 16, amid the government’s crackdown on what are now considered as illegal jeepneys. In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Manibela president and chairman Mar Valbuena also called on the Supreme Court to release a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the public utility vehicle modernization program. Some transport groups filed the stay order petition in December 2023, while a supplemental petition was filed on April 29, the eve of the extended deadline for franchise consolidation. “Hindi tayo papayag na ba makakahuli sila basta basta. Lalaban din kami. Yung TRO sa Supreme Court, di ko alam if aasa pa ba tayo sa SC sa sagot nila. Dapat maglabas sila ng TRO at maglabas ng oral argument,” Valbuena said. (Translation: We will not let enforcers apprehend jeepney drivers. We will fight. I don’t know if we can still hope for the Supreme Court to release a temporary restraining order. They should release it and have an oral argument.)On May 14, the high court ordered the Department of Transportation and LTFRB to respond to the petition. The two agencies, however, asked the court to dismiss it for “lack of merit.”
‘Massacre of livelihood’
Meanwhile, PISTON described the jeepney crackdown as a “massacre of the livelihood of transport workers” and will only worsen the plight of commuters.“Sa panghuhuli sa mga drayber at operator at pag-iimpound ng mga jeepney, lalo lamang pinapalala ang paghihirap ng mga mamamayang komyuter—mga manggagawa at estudyante—na kumakaharap sa tumitinding kawalan ng trabaho sa gitna ng krisis sa bansa ngayon,” it said in a statement. (Translation: Apprehending drivers and operators, as well as impounding their jeepneys, may just exacerbate the sufferings of commuters like ordinary workers and students – who may be out of jobs now due to the crisis in our country.)Drivers of unconsolidated jeepneys may be suspended for a year and pay a fine of P50,000, and their units impounded for 30 days.There were no reports of apprehension of unconsolidated PUVs on May 16, the beginning of the illegal jeepney ban. The LTFRB said the Land Transportation Office, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Philippine National Police will carry out the order.
