MANILA Philippines — Transportation authorities yesterday said they will start to impound public utility vehicles (PUVs) that are already 13 years old, and with unconfirmed franchises and outdated registration documents.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reminded operators of the consequences for failing to comply with the government’s policy to phase out PUVs that have been used 13 years since the year of their manufacture.
LTFRB Chairman lawyer Jaime Jacob clarified that the franchise of obsolete PUVs will not be invalidated upon impounding of the PUV unit, saying that “operators have to replace their units with brand-new ones or with second-hand units used three years since the year of manufacture.”
“Otherwise, LTFRB will not confirm the franchise validity and the LTO (Land Transportation Office) will not allow the renewal of registration,” Jacob added.
Jacob said dilapidated PUVs will be impounded when caught by authorized traffic law enforcers such as the Land Transportation Office, Metro Manila Development Authority and the traffic bureaus of local government units.
“So far, there are no reported arrests yet,” Jacob said yesterday.
Earlier, members of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (PISTON) and the Alyansa tutol sa UV ExpressYear Model Phase-Out (ALSA UV) conducted a protest caravan from Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City to Mendiola in Manila, where they aired their opposition to the phase-out policy of the LTFRB.
But government refused to recall the policy after Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said buses, taxis, jeepneys and garage-to-terminal (GT) express vehicles should be in good working condition to serve the riding public.
“The phase out age of PUVs is a policy to protect passengers and keep a healthy environment,” he said.
Abaya added that the government will enforce its policy to phase out buses that operate for more than 15 years, and taxis, jeepneys or GT express vehicles used for 13 years.
“We have to implement our laws and rules because the rule of law is essential in a functioning society. In fact, other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have phase out ages much shorter than ours,” Abaya added.
Once the 13-year limit is reached, the LTO will no longer renew the registration of the vehicle, certification of which is a requirement of the LTFRB for the confirmation of the PUV franchise, which is renewed annually.
The LTFRB’s prescribed life-span of PUVs is based on the scientific calculation of the life expectancy of the steel used to make automobiles and the fact that public utility vehicles are more used than privately used ones.
At least 34 percent of some 20,000 units of Asian utility vehicles and vans that are franchised as GT express vehicles nationwide will be affected by the policy implementation this year.
Operators, however, can seek legal relief if they can convince the Office of the President to reverse the LTFRB policy or the court to issue a restraining order.
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Source: Kris Bayos, The Manila Bulletin, 14 January 2013
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