The Philippine National Police (PNP) monitored around 500 rallyists and 151 passenger jeepneys during the conduct of the protest march on Tuesday, Jan. 16, against the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they also deployed around 175 vehicles to assist stranded passengers but so far at around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, she said only around 106 commuters were assisted.
Transport group Manibela led the protest action to call on President Marcos to reconsider the full implementation of the PUVMP and to give back the franchises of jeepneys that were cancelled at the course of the consolidation process that ended on Dec. 31.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said that the franchise of all unconsolidated jeepney operators would be deemed revoke on Jan. 31 this year and they will be the subject of full enforcement the following day.
In a press briefing, Fajardo also clarified that the PNP did not block the protesters from Cavite and Bulacan on their way to join the protest march.
In Bacoor, Cavite at around 8 a.m., she said a passenger jeepney was apprehended for being out of line and was held while waiting for the driver to produce the documents of the vehicle.
The same incident happened in Malolos, Bulacan when three passenger jeepneys were temporarily held in a checkpoint of the PNP and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for being out of line.
“These three jeepneys opted to go back when the drivers failed to show any special permit for their travel out of their routes,” said Fajardo.
The protest action, according to its organizers, would be attended by at least 10,000 people.