Days ahead of President Duterte's State of the Nation Address, a nationwide transport coalition has called on the government to address the "dire state" of the transport sector and prioritize the development of an inclusive, safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation system.
The Koalisyon ng Transportasyon para sa Mamamayan (KTM), a coalition of at least 25 groups and union members in the transport sector, lamented on Saturday the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and the revocation of franchise routes of traditional PUVs, which they said were made without proper consideration of its impact to stakeholders.
"Thousands of drivers, conductors and operators of public vehicles have been out of work for months in observance of health protocols and are struggling amidst this pandemic. Apparently not content with ignoring their woes, our government decided to ultimately phase out their means of living by implementing the PUVMP under the guise of ‘modernization," lawyer Luke Espiritu of labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said in a virtual press briefing.
According to Espiritu, through implementing PUVMP, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is enabling large corporations and powerful interest groups to "take advantage of a nation in paralysis.
The coalition questioned the integrity of the administration's modernization program and also emphasized the need for a better transportation system for all amid the pandemic.
This was echoed by Alex Yague of the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) who claimed that the lack of available mode of transportation due to the suspension of traditional PUVs causes commuters to scramble for a ride, exposing them to risks of contracting the disease.
With this, the group continued to urge the government to withdraw the modernization measures and demanded an inclusive pathway for the recovery and improvement of the transport industry.
"We can only achieve a sustainable and efficient transport sector through a just transition — one which includes all stakeholders in every step of the process, from the decision-making in modernization plans to the reaping of benefits," lawyer Vincent Rondaliz of PBOAP added.
"If only the DOTr would actually talk to transport workers and commuters, they will know that we also desire low-carbon, efficient, and crisis resilient transportation, perhaps even more than they do, for as long as proper transition measures and consultations are in place," Rondaliz said.
The KTM said that it will continue to voice out their demands through participating in the upcoming SONA demonstrations dubbed as "SONAgkaisa" on Monday.