Dennis Gaviola

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The government’s jeepney modernization program is a step in the right direction but no one must be left behind.This was the assertion of transport leader Mar Valbuena who is gunning for a Senate seat.Valbuena, who heads the group Manibela, faced ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Friday.He once again scored the consolidation program of the Marcos administration where jeepney operators are required to form transport cooperatives.“Gusto natin na makapag-mordernize tayo pero dapat walang halo itong korupsiyon at talagang kailangan pagbabago talaga na para sa taumbayan, hindi para sa iilan lamang,” Valbuena said.“Gusto natin iparehabilitate itong ating mga sasakyan. Baguhin natin yung mga bulok, dilapidated, sang-ayon kami diyan,” he added.  Valbuena also asked why the government chose foreign made modern jeepneys when there are talented Filipino manufacturers who could do the job.Last year, Manibela held various transport strikes to oppose the consolidation. This resulted in 22 cases being filed against Valbuena but he said his group will push on.  Another challenge is the lack of campaign funds, which he addressed.“Kung tinitignan lang nila yung Mar Valbuena ganyan lang kaliit, tignan mo yung mapa ng Pilipinas may Manibela, may Manibela may Manibela. Baka ito yung makinarya namin na puwedeng magpagalaw na manalo tayo,” he explained.<div>INFLATION, JOBS, DIVORCE</div>Aside from transportation, Valbuena also wants to focus on curbing inflation through sound fiscal policies and agricultural supply chain, and through reducing fuel taxes.“Kung ibababa ng Bangko Sentral yung kanyang interst rate, macu-curb natin yung inflation kasi yung supply ng pera ng Pilipinas maganda. Di katulad ngayon walang infrastructure program, wala tayong halos nakikita at dapat magkaroon nito para nang sa ganun pati yung farming, yung techniques sa farming ay dapat ma-modernize. Ito dapat yung i-modernize para magkaroon tayo ng sapat na pagkain at yung inflation bumaba,”Valbuena said.He also wants to push legislation which will create more jobs and zero in on lending money to small medium enterprises.On the issue of divorce, Valbuena admitted it is a hard matter to address since the Philippines is a mainly Catholic country, but he said the public can always avail of annulment.“Ang pundasyon ng isang bansa ay yung isang pamilya so gusto natin na intact ang pamilya  ng mga Pilipino pero sabi nga, naglalaro sa’tin papano kung hindi na talaga puwede?” he said.

The government’s jeepney modernization program is a step in the right direction but no one must be left behind.

The government’s jeepney modernization program is a step in the right direction but no one must be left behind.

Harapan 2025: Valbuena scores jeepney consolidation anew, says no one must be left behind

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Harapan 2025: Valbuena scores jeepney consolidation anew, says no one must be left behind

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 17, 2025 09:16 PM PHT

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Mar Valbuena

Harapan 2025

jeepney modernization

inflation

Halalan 2025

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