Allow old but roadworthy jeepneys on the road -Poe, Sotto

Most of the 210,000 jeepneys operating inMetro Manila are
at least 15 years old.

Two senators are urging the government on Monday to allow old jeepneys on the road as long as they pass the roadworthiness tests.

“Sabi nga let’s compromise a little bit. Kung road worthy naman siya, ibig sabihin ligtas. Pangalawa, emissions safety na nakapasa, baka pwedeng payagan,” Senator Grace Poe told reporters.

Poe chairs the Senate committee on public services, which is conducting a hearing on the government’s modernization scheme.

“Yung mga pwede pang tumakbo dahil maayos pa naman, i-allow,” she added.

Instead of implementing the modernization scheme nationwide, the senator also proposed that this should be done in pilot areas.

“Gusto ko sana magkaroon na muna ng mga pilot projects. Hindi pwedeng sabay-sabay, lahat ng areas,” she said.

“Kung compliance sa safety, road worthiness at saka emissions, pwede munang yun ang unahin tapos yung iba naman, like side door accessibility, persons with disabilities. Yung mga talagang kailangan nang palitan dahil hindi siya road worthy, yun na ang ipalit,” Poe added.

It was Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who first asked transport officials, during the hearing of the committee, to allow public utility vehicles on the road as long as they pass the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS).

“You can find a middle ground na kapag pumasa MVIS, let them retain it. Bakit nyo kailangang alisin e pasado sa MVIS?” Sotto said.

But Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade, who was present in the hearing, gave no clear commitment to Sotto’s suggestion.

The hearing, which was also attended by various transport groups, ended without reaching an agreement between transport officials and jeepney drivers and operators except to continue with their dialogue.

Even Poe admitted that there are still a lot of questions on the government’s plan to phaseout old PUVs.

“Hindi ko masasabi na buong-buo na at maayos na ang kanilang plano. Talagang marami pang butas na kailangan nilang ayusin,” she said when asked if she was satisfied by Tugade’s explanation during the hearing. –Maila Ager