Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista on Friday said he welcomes calls for a congressional inquiry into his agency’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

Speaking to reporters, Bautista said they can present to lawmakers the next steps of the program now that the industry consolidation phase is over.

“We welcome that. Lalo na, natapos na yung deadline for consolidation. From there, pwede naming pag-usapan ano-ano yung mga ways forward,” said Bautista.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said he will call on the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation to conduct a motu proprio investigation on reports that "corrupt practices may have tainted the conceptualization and planned implementation" of the said program.

But Bautista said he does not understand the allegations.

“Hindi ko maintindihan kung ano yung alleged corruption. Kasi yung PUVMP, it’s a program to improve the experience of the riding public e diba? Posible yung sinasabi nila doon sa pagbibigay ng prangkisa, siguro. Pero sabi nga namin, automatic na dapat mare-renew yung prangkisa kung naging part sila ng consolidated entities eh, diba? So hindi ko nakikita yung issue about corruption as far as the issuance of the franchise is concerned,” he said.

REVIEW OF PUV MODERNIZATION PROGRAM

Romualdez also urged the DOTr to review the program and extend its implementation.

DOTr Undersecretary TJ Batan insisted that they are continuously doing that, even pointing out how they have already made several changes to the implementation of the program to address the concerns of jeepney operators and drivers such as increasing the government’s equity subsidy for acquiring modern jeepney units and extending the timeframe for when they need to upgrade their units.

“Halimbawa, inakyat natin yung subsidy natin from P80,000 to P160,000 to P280,000. Pangalawa, iniba din natin yung panuntunan sa ilang operator ba ang pwedeng tumakbo sa isang ruta. Dati 1, ngayon pwedeng 2 hanggang 3 operator,” said Batan.

“Maging yung period o panahon para mag-modernize ay iniba na rin. Dati kailangan mong mag-modernize ng jeepney within 12 months, 1 year, ngayon pinahaba na natin yan. Tinitignan natin ngayon yung 2 to 3 years na palugit para mag-modernize yung ating consolidated operators,” he added.

Bautista meanwhile said that he believes the shift to modern units will take longer.

“Ang kinakatakot ay kailangan mag-operate ka agad ng modern jeepney. Hindi naman e diba? Actually hindi 3 to 5 (years), baka aabutin yan ng mga 5 to 8 years pa siguro. Hindi mo mapipilitan kaagad yung mga luma,” said Bautista.

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