Gaite hails ‘Balik-Pasada’ of jeepneys but wants to make it official

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said the decision of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to allow jeepneys, along with UV express vans, on the road next week “an initial victory” for drivers.

But the Makabayan lawmaker pushed for the policy to be made official by the LTFRB to protect the livelihood of jeepney drivers.

“This is an initial victory for the drivers, nonetheless we would continue to push for the immediate return of jeepneys on the roads, this announcement should be officialized immediately,” Gaite said.

“The government has deprived our drivers of their livelihood, and our commuters of needed transport services long enough. Gutom at namamalimos na ang mga tsuper at kanilang pamilya! Balik-pasada ngayon na,” he added.

The LTFRB told lawmakers it would allow UV Express and traditional jeepnesy to resume their operations next week.

“Jeepney operators and drivers have already demonstrated how they can make their vehicles safe for commuters through ingenious and economical ways,” Gaite said.

“Studies have also shown that vehicles with natural ventilation reduces the risk of the spread of the virus, thus the open-air traditional jeepneys are actually safer than the air-conditioned mini buses that the DOTr is trying to promote. It also proves that all this talk about how jeepneys would facilitate the spread of the virus is just a convenient lie to support the government’s agenda of corporatizing jeepney transport services,” he added.

Various groups are set to hold protests to call for “balik-pasada.” Several fund drives and relief operations are also ongoing to support jeepney drivers.

“Wala nang lusot ang gobyerno. The public clamor for the lifting of the ban on jeepneys is growing,” Gaite said.

“Studies of reputable institutions also erode the government’s pretext for the ban. Ubos na ang palusot para sa pagraratsada ng di-makatwiran at pahirap na jeepney phaseout. Kailangan hayaan na silang bumalik sa kalsada at sa kanilanh kabuhayan sa pinaka-maagang panahon,” he said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)