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Southern Luzon drivers join protest vs consolidation deadline

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Lyza Aquino, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Jeepney drivers from Southern Tagalog hold a protest in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) headquarters in Quezon City on December 29, 2023, as they continue to demand the scrapping of the government" s="" December="" deadline="" to="" consolidate="" their="" franchises="" under="" the="" PUV="" Modernization="" Program.="" ABS-CBN="" News="" Maria="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/29/20231229-jeepney-driver-protest-ltfrb-mt-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Jeepney drivers from Southern Tagalog hold a protest in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) headquarters in Quezon City on December 29, 2023, as they continue to demand the scrapping of the government&#x27;s December 31 deadline to consolidate their franchises under the PUV Modernization Program. ABS-CBN News/Maria Tan</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Transport groups PISTON-Southern Tagalog and Manibela staged another protest on Friday against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program of the government and the franchise consolidation deadline on Sunday, Dec. 31.PISTON-Southern Tagalog secretary general Miguel Portea led the rally of at least 100 drivers and operators in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board&#x27;s central office in Quezon City on Friday morning.The groups said the protest is also to show their dismay over the recent issuances of the Supreme Court on their request for a Temporary Restraining Order on the consolidation deadline.The SC required the LTFRB to comment on the TRO request before making a decision.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/28/23/sc-urged-to-expedite-decision-on-tro-vs-puv-modernization-program">SC urged to expedite decision on TRO vs PUV modernization program</a></li></ul>He said transport groups went to court after LTFRB Chair Teofilo Guadiz III and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ignored their plea to scrap the deadline.&quot;Dahil kung ito ay pag-aaralan pa o kokomentuhan pa ng LTFRB, parating na ang deadline... &#x27;Yung sampung araw na pag-aaral nila, hindi na ito magiging pabor sa amin kundi ito ay magiging isa nang taktika para tanggalan kami ng kabuhayan,&quot; he said.(If the LTFRB is given time to study this and submit a comment with the deadline approaching... this will no longer be in our favor but will be a tactic to take away our livelihoods.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/29/23/ltfrb-bares-3-scenarios-for-jeepney-routes-in-2024">LTFRB bares 3 scenarios for jeepney routes after December 31</a></li></ul><div>&#x27;MANY HAVE LOST MONEY&#x27;</div>Portea said that his group believes that the modernization program will drive jeepney drivers and operators to bankruptcy.&quot;Katunayan marami na pong nalugi na nauna sa amin na nag-modernize. Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho. Siguro po kung hindi na talaga kami papayagan, makikita at masasaksihan ng buong bansa kung paano kikilos yung hanay ng transportasyon partikular sa Timog Katagalugan,&quot; Portea added.(Actually, there are many who lost money among those who were the first to modernize. Many lost their jobs. I think, if they really won&#x27;t let us on the road, the whole country will see how the transport sector — particularly in southern Luzon — will mobilize.)<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2913439" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>Arnel Lalogo, one of the jeepney drivers who joined the protest, said it is not practical to replace his 14-year-old traditional jeepney with the modern mini-buses that the modernization program is pushing.He said that driving a jeepney has helped his wife finish school and provide for his child.&quot;Ngayon, sa edad po naming mga jeepney driver eh wala naman na pong tatanggap sa amin sa mga company. Dahil, sa totoo lang, ito lang ang alam naming hanapbuhay sa araw-araw,&quot; he said.(At our age, no company will hire us. To be honest, this is the only livelihood we know.)Lalogo said that upgrading his jeep would cost him more than what he earns. He said the cost — up to P2.5 million for a unit — is too high even if he pays for it in installments and even with assistance from the government.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/28/23/special-permits-cant-stop-looming-transport-crisis">Special permits can&#x27;t stop looming transport crisis: Piston, Manibela</a></li></ul>&quot;Magkano lang po ang aming kinikita sa araw-araw minsan P700 to P800 — hanggang P1,000 — eh dun palang kukunin ang aming pangaraw-araw, upa sa bahay, bayad sa kuryente, kaya wala pong natitira,&quot; he added.(How much do we earn? Soemtimes it&#x27;s P700 to P800 — P1,000 at most — and that&#x27;s where we get money for our daily needs, for rent, for electricity, so there we will be left with nothing.)Aside from Piston and Manibela, other groups also staged different rallies within the metro and in key areas in the provinces to protest the PUV Modernization Program.

Aside from Piston and Manibela, other groups also staged different protests within the metro and in key areas in the provinces.

Southern Luzon drivers join protest vs consolidation deadline

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Southern Luzon drivers join protest vs consolidation deadline

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 29, 2023 01:25 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 29, 2023 03:15 PM PHT

Read More:

jeepney modernization

Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board

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