The agitated transport sector seeks the final revocation of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DoTC) Order 2002-30, a threat to phase out second -hand buses, which according to the sector, is unlawful.
"It’s non-compliance of the Clean Air Act, and its officials’ penchant of pushing programs from whims like the phaseout order," Alex Yague, a convenor of the alliance, said.
In a position paper filed at the DoTC by the ACBOKKP, the group cited that for years, the DoTC has been using the phaseout threat to create havoc and uncertainty in the passenger bus sector, affecting its capability to improve its services.
"We have revived a broad alliance of public transport organizations from the city, provincial, shuttle and tourist bus sectors to expose the government’s failure to properly establish benchmarks for the land transport industry," Yague stressed.
In an open letter, the alliance appealed for an immediate repeal, amendment, or rescinding of the department order and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Memorandum Circular 2003-24 or the phaseout move of second-hand buses.
"We are urgently asking the DoTC, LTFRB, and the LTO to take a long hard look at the said DO and MC", the group reiterated.
The DO signed by DoTC Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza seeks to prescribe the useful life of all PUBs "vehicle and engine life" by limiting it to a specific span of 15 years from date of manufacture.
In effect, the government will phase out 90 percent of all city buses and 65 percent of all provincial buses, said ACBO-KKP.Amid the clamor for his immediate resignation, Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Atruro Valdez denied causing the transport sector huge financial losses in implementing the directive against old vehicles plying the streets nationwide.
This was the reaction of Valdez at the weekly Newsstand media forum at the Ambassador Hotel concerning the problems of the transport sector and the clamor for his resignation as secretary and also that of Land Transportation franchise and Regulatory Board chairperson Len Bautista.
The controversy reportedly is rooted in Bautista’s implementation of the DOTC directive calling for immediate action against old and dilapidated vehicles particularly those aged 15 or more years old.
According to Valdez, the directive must be implemented since this will really enhance the situation of the transport sector as well as improve public service and transportation in the country.
"We have had two public fora for this, one in 1996 and another in 2002, and all the proponents agreed to the directive," the undersecretary explained.
This was supported by the president of Transport Operators for Clean Air Bert Suansing who said that it is about time that the directive against old and dilapidated vehicles should be implemented.
However, Suansing added that before the directive is fully implemented, the DOTC should first set standards on what vehicles should be allowed to ply the streets because it is really the condition of the vehicle and not its age which should be really considered.
"In truth, age doesn’t really matter but it is the condition of the vehicles in question. What we targeting here are what I call the ‘throw away’ and the ‘rolling coffin’ which prove to be safety hazards to the commuting public and likewise contributes to our growing pollution problems," the private sector representative stressed.
Defended
Amid the clamor for his immediate resignation, Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Atruro Valdez denied causing the transport sector huge financial losses in implementing the directive against old vehicles plying the streets nationwide.
This was the reaction of Valdez at the weekly Newsstand media forum at the Ambassador Hotel concerning the problems of the transport sector and the clamor for his resignation as secretary and also that of Land Transportation franchise and Regulatory Board chairperson Len Bautista.
The controversy reportedly is rooted in Bautista’s implementation of the DOTC directive calling for immediate action against old and dilapidated vehicles particularly those aged 15 or more years old.
According to Valdez, the directive must be implemented since this will really enhance the situation of the transport sector as well as improve public service and transportation in the country.
"We have had two public fora for this, one in 1996 and another in 2002, and all the proponents agreed to the directive," the undersecretary explained.
This was supported by the president of Transport Operators for Clean Air Bert Suansing who said that it is about time that the directive against old and dilapidated vehicles should be implemented.
