Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 30) — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Tuesday he will ask the committee on public services to look into a Joint Administrative Order imposing hefty penalties on public utility vehicles, including the suspension of an entire franchise for a single PUV found to be illegally operating.
Sotto, a vice presidential aspirant, made the commitment during a consultative meeting with bus operators at the Lacson-Sotto Media Center in San Juan City.
Under JAO 2014-01, a PUV found operating without proper authority from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board or outside of its approved route will be impounded for at least three months and its Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) revoked. The colorum vehicle and all other units included in the franchise will also be blacklisted and their registration canceled.
These are on top of a P1 million fine for buses, and a lower amount for other PUVs.
“Kasalanan po o pagkakamali ng isang driver, suspendido ang buong prangkisa,” lawyer Alex Verzosa lamented. “Mawawalan ng trabaho lahat ng empleyado doon sa prangkisa na ‘yun at mawawalan na rin ng sasakyan ang mga pasahero doon sa ruta na ‘yun.”
“Second offense, fleet cancellation. Mawawala na po sa negosyo ‘yung bus operator,” he added.
[Translation: For the mistake of one driver, the entire franchise will be suspended. All employees under that franchise will lose their jobs and there will be fewer vehicles for commuters plying that route…Second offense, fleet cancellation. No more business for the bus operator.]
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Sotto’s presidential running mate, called the order “too arbitrary and punitive.” He said the executive can modify or repeal it, while the Senate can exercise oversight, to which Sotto agreed.
“Hindi po batas ‘yung JAO. Kaya pwede talagang baguhin ‘yun at pwedeng isaayos ‘yun at ‘yun ang aming gagawin. ‘Yung oversight functions ng aming committee on public services ay agad naming pagagawa,” Sotto said.
[Translation: The JAO is not a law. So that can really be modified and fixed and that is what we will do. We will immediately exercise the oversight functions of our committee on public services.]
Committee chairperson Senator Grace Poe said the panel will act on “any proposed review of antiquated or oppressive policies.”
“While we want safe roads, we also want to encourage public transport. Ang batas trapiko ay dapat naman talagang nakakatulong sa publiko at hindi basta pahirap lang sa tao [Traffic laws should really help the public and not just be a burden to the people),” she told CNN Philippines in a text message.
Lacson said he will also call on the Supreme Court to make a ruling on the pending petition assailing the constitutionality of the order.
