MANILA — Members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have filed a resolution seeking to urge the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board to junk the Dec. 31, 2023 deadline for franchise consolidation of public utility jeepneys.

Piston members picketed the House of Representatives before its president Mody Floranda joined the lawmakers in filing House Resolution 1506.

Makabayan bloc member Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said the franchise consolidation would adversely affect the livelihood of jeepney drivers.

"Malinaw po yung pahayag ng ating jeepney drivers mapi-phase out sila sa pamamagitan nito, sapilitan silang mawawalan ng kabuhayan. Pagwasak ito sa kanilang kabuhayan dahil hindi na sila papayagan na manatili sa kanilang mga ruta at magkakaproblema po lalo na yung maliliit at saka inaapi na sektor ng driver sa ating lipunan," Brosas added.

Brosas urges the government to compromise as she pushed the idea of government allocating funds to help jeepney drivers convert their engines to comply with the PUV modernization program.

She said they wanted to make sure jeepney drivers would not be subjected to corporate capture.

"Iyung makikinabang ay yung mga malalaking korporasyon at malalaking kooperatiba at ang end point ay maging driver na lamang ang ating mga jeepney drivers... Wala na sa kamay nila yung pagdedesisyon ng mga bagay-bagay tapos mapipilitan pa silang isuko yung kanilang mga sariling franchise at saka sariling mga sasakyan," Brosas argued.

Floranda urged the government to strengthen the local industry instead.

"Bakit di unahin ng gobyerno ay yung magtayo tayo ng sarili nating industriya sapagkat 'pag inuna natin sa balangkas ng programa sa kasalukuyan ay hindi yung ating ekonomiya yung pinapaunlad dito ng ating pamahalaan, kundi ang pinapaunlad dito yung mga dayuhan," he said.

• Jeepney operators share 'nightmare' about consolidation

The transportation department earlier said it was willing to give in to the demands of drivers under the PUV modernization program except for the issue on industry consolidation

Under the PUV modernization program, jeepneys and operators were given until Dec. 31 to form a cooperative that would allow them easier access to funds, especially when applying for loans, among others.

The transportation department has been pushing for the PUV modernization project since the previous Duterte administration.

Jeepney drivers and operators oppose the program, saying the new "modern jeepneys" are too expensive and will deprive single-unit operators of route franchises that will then go to big corporations and to transport cooperatives.

Some drivers and operators have argued that upgrading existing jeepneys will be a less expensive way to make them more fuel efficient and environment friendly.

Piston and Manibela held transport strikes in November to opposed some PUV modernization provisions.

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