Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) president Mody Floranda on Wednesday, January 17, said the protests against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) continue.

“Tuloy-tuloy tayong umaasa na magkaroon ng pagbabago ng desisyon ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) at Department of Transportation (DOTr),” PISTON president Mody Floranda told DZRH in an interview.

“Tuloy-tuloy tayong maglulunsad ng ibang mga protesta. Dahil mismo ang ating kinatawan sa loob ng Kongreso, kinukwestyon nila ang PUVMP,” he added.

Floranda said the LTFRB and DOTr have yet to answer the questions raised during the House hearing on the modernization program.

“Batay sa nakaraang week na hearing sa Kongreso, maraming tanong ang hindi nasagot ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno, katulad ng DOTr at LTFRB,” the PISTON president said.

“Kaya sinasabi ng mga congressman kung bakit patuloy na tinutulak ang PUVMP na walang masusing pag-aaral sa programang ito,” he added.

Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop earlier called DOTr to present a legal basis of jeepney franchises’ cancellation, arguing that jeepneys’ franchises cannot be canceled or suspended under the Government Appropriations Act of 2022.

Meanwhile, Floranda stood firm that they remained in favor of modernization but lambasted the government’s ways of modernizing.

“Malinaw ang ating posisyon. Wala tayong problema sa usaping balangkas ng modernisasyon. Ang kinakalaban lang natin dito, ang maling paraan ng pag-modernize,” he said.

According to the PISTON president, jeepney operators insisted to remain non-consolidated due to fear of being indebted.

“Malinaw ang desisyon ng operators na paninidigan nila na hindi sila papasok sa programa sapagkat ayaw nilang mabaon sa utang,” he said.