Press Release

2 March 2023

Every policy comes with a “reverse gear,” but House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto believes President Marcos Jr. did not apply it on the jeepney modernization program “as he merely stepped on the brakes.” 

“It was not even a U-turn. ‘Ika nga, hindi n’ya binago ang ruta. ‘Yun pa rin ang destinasyon: isang sistema na wagi ang lahat at walang luhaan,” Recto said.

Recto said the “pause” ordered by Marcos Jr. – which moved the deadline for jeepney owners to comply with the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) to the end of the year – should give government time to improve the program.

“Gamitin ito para mas pagandahin ang programa. Bawasan ang “pain points” sa mga driver, mananakay at operators,”he said.

Foremost of the “needed modifications” is the availability of affordable and quality units, “hindi ‘yung ang permanenteng signboard ay ‘talyer’ kasi may aayusin na naman.”

“Kung ang sticker price ng modern jeep ay P2.8 million, talaga namang mahal,” he said. 

What should also be reviewed is the imposition of “expiry dates” on PUVs, Recto said.

“’Yung mga taxi sa Hong Kong at ibang bansa, deka-dekada na ang edad. Tama si Presidente -when it comes to cars, age is not the only factor; maintenance is.” 

In addition to lowering the financial bar to ownership, Recto also called for a larger government subsidy on new units.

“This is a nation awashed in taxpayer subsidies. If you regularly ride the MRT and LRT on weekdays, subsidized ang fare mo ng P14,500 a year,” Recto said.

“Hinahamon ko ang DOTR. Ilabas nga nila ang projected per passenger fare subsidy ng subway. Tama ba na aabot ng P150 kada sakay? Magkano rin ang average taxpayer subsidy para sa isang SUC student? Pre-pandemic nasa P73,000 each na.” 

The present P160,000 government subsidy per new unit “is what we spend a year on the free college of just two students, or about 10 families enrolled under 4Ps,” Recto said. 

“So kung meron kang P160,000 na ipamimigay, pwede na kaya, as an interim measure, to help fund the upgrading of legacy jeeps? Sana mapag-aralan,” he said.

Recto said billions of  TESDA funds can be used in upgrading  traditional jeeps, with  the latter serving as learning material for tech-voc students mentored by experts.

The conservative estimate is that the 200,000 traditional jeeps in the country ferry 25 million passengers a day.

“They are the ‘Everything, Everywhere All At Once’ ride. They provide essential services yet treated as eyesores. Improve them. Don’t make them extinct,” he said.