MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Wednesday called for the indefinite suspension of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, saying government is not ready to implement it and that drivers and operators should have been consulted on its details.

Speaking to reporters, Pimentel said government should have explained the program — and the details on how PUV operators and drivers can participate in it — better.

"'Wag lang sana sila sa macro level na 'ano ba yung objectives ng program?'," he said.

• Jeepney modernization may mean higher fares, fewer routes: Think tank

"Kasi madali naman gawin na maganda ang objectives ng program e, pasukin nila yung micro, yung detalye: Ilang papeles ang pinapapirma natin sa mga drivers at ipapa-submit? Saan galing ang mga papeles na yan, mga clearances na 'yan?"

He said that acceptability of the program — opposed by transport groups PISTON and Manibela — might be higher if government agencies explained how operators might be able to pay off loans for the modern mini-buses that will replace traditional jeepneys.

New units cost as much as P2.5 million, a sum that smaller operators say is too steep.

"Napaliwanag na ba sa kanila? Yung paliwanag ay naka-base naman sa realidad o ini-imagine lang 'yan sa loob ng opisina ng mga finance guys?" Pimentel said.

He said that the executive branch should see the lack of "peace and harmony" from the transport sector about the program as a prompt to suspend the PUVMP for now.

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• LTFRB: Jeepney consolidation rate in NCR at 33 pct

According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, less than 14,000 or 33.21 percent of jeepneys in Metro Manila had consolidated into cooperatives two days before the Dec. 31 deadline that the government considers a first step towards fleet modernization and management.

PISTON and Manibela oppose consolidation, saying they are fine with forming cooperatives but that members want to retain individual franchises and ownership of their units.

LTFRB has allowed "unconsolidated" jeeps on routes where less than 60 percent have consolidated their franchises to continue to operate until Jan. 31 while the regulator assigns consolidated units to those routes.

• LTFRB bares 3 scenarios for jeepney routes after December 31

Pimentel added that government can consider the option for operators to trade in their traditional jeepneys to help defray the cost of new units.

"From the point of view of the jeepney operator and or driver yung ganyang minamanehong jeepney ngayon gusto nyo i-phase out, lagyan nyo naman ng halaga, pampabawas ng utang or as a form of paying, part of the loan if not the entire loan," he said.

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