While he agrees that modernizing the country's public utility vehicles (PUV) should happen, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. says the PUV Modernization Program was poorly implemented, and that the Philippines does not have the full capacity yet to support electric vehicles. Marcos said this amid plans of transportation groups to launch a week-long transport strike starting March 6. In an interview in Manila on Wednesday, March 1, the President said the modernization of PUVs was inevitable, but the law's implementation was not exemplary. "Sa issue ng modernization, sa aking palagay, ay kailangan ding gawin talaga 'yan. Ngunit, sa pag-aaral ko, parang hindi naging maganda ang implementation nung modernization (On the issue of modernization, I think we should do that. However, based on my study, I don't think the law was implemented well)," he said. According to President Marcos, while he agreed that public transportation should be safe, the government should find ways so the modernization of PUVs will not be costly to drivers and operators. For now, he proposed inspecting existing vehicles, noting that old ones can still be safe. "May luma naman na pwede pang gamitin. So baka yun tingnan natin. Just because five years old, or 10 years old, hindi na pwede (There are old ones that can still be used. Let's look at that. Just because it's five years old or 10 years old, we can't use them anymore)," Marcos said. "Tingnan natin yung condition. Eh kung magandang mag-alaga yung driver? Maganda yung jeep niya, 'di pwede pang gamitin 'yan, safe pa naman (Let's look at the condition. What if the driver takes good care of his jeep, that he can still use that. It's still safe)," he added. President Marcos hoped these initiatives could convince drivers and operators not to go on strike. "It's not that simple but I'm hoping na dito sa mga initiatives na iniisip natin eh makumbinsi naman natin ang mga transport groups na huwag na muna mag-strike (that with our initiatives, we can convince the transport groups to not push through with the strike)," he said. "Kawawa talaga ang mga tao at marami pang naghihirap at mas lalo pang maghihirap pag hindi makapasok sa trabaho (The people will suffer. They are already suffering and will suffer more if they can't come to work)," he added. When asked if the June 30 phase-out of old PUVs will push through, Marcos said, "We'll talk about it."

Introduction of electric vehicles

To President Marcos, PUV Modernization was the first step in introducing electric vehicles in the country. However, he does not think the country is fully prepared for it. "We have to implement it in a different way," Marcos said. "We have to look properly at what the real timetable is for the introduction of electric vehicles. Palagay ko hindi pa pwede ngayon (I don't think we're ready)," he added. "Thirty percent pa lang ng power natin is renewable, eh. So hindi pa urgent sa ngayon. Hindi pa kaya ng imprastraktura natin (Only 30 percent of our power is renewable. So it's not urgent now. Our infrastructure can't handle it). So we have to build that up," he continued. Marcos said using electric vehicles in the current situation would be counterproductive. "Kahit na mag-electric vehicle ka, mag-cha-charge ka yung kuryente galing din sa coal-fired plant, 'di ganoon din. Walang magbabago (If you'll charge your electric vehicle using power from a coal-fired plant, then nothing will change)," he said. "Nilipat mo lang yung pollution nang kaunti (You just slightly moved the pollution). So that's an improvement, but that doesn't help climate change," he added.