22 senators sign resolution seeking suspension of PUV modernization
By Dhel Nazario
A total of 22 senators signed a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate to temporarily suspend the implementation of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), formerly known as the PUV Modernization Program.

Those who authored Senate Resolution (SR) No. 1096 dated July 30, along with Senator Raffy Tulfo include Senate President Francis Escudero, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada; and Senators Nancy Binay, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Bato Dela Rosa, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Bong Revilla, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, and Migz Zubiri.
It can be recalled that Escudero floated the idea of coming up with a resolution during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services chaired by Tulfo in front of representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
He expressed his belief that the majority of senators are in support of suspending the program.
“There is an urgent need to thoroughly review and reassess the impact of the program, to alleviate the fears of the drivers and transport operators who will be directly burdened by its implementation,” the resolution read.
It also states that while PTMP is laudable, continuing with the program without "threshing out these concerns, would go against the Constitutional directive of promoting social justice in all phases of national development."
In filing SR No. 1096, the senators highlighted the valid and urgent concerns raised by affected drivers, groups, unions, and transport cooperatives, particularly issues on consolidation into cooperatives.
The senators said that these small stakeholders, particularly the drivers who remain unconsolidated are effectively forced out of their livelihoods. This is caused by the insufficiency of information drive on the part of the government to educate affected parties as well as the burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs.
Ultimately, the senators stressed that more consideration and clarifications are needed to be made by the Department of Transportation in order to address the concerns voiced by affected stakeholders, especially the drivers.
As for those who were already forced or volunteered to consolidate, they are still free to ply their usual routes while a review is ongoing.