Transport group appeals dismissal of petition to SC

Members of Pasada Network, led by PISTON and MANIBELA, hold a protest rally against the government’s PUV modernization plan outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. PHOTOS BY ISMAEL DE JUAN

MANILA, Philippines: A transport group based in the Mountain Province said it was appealing the rejection of its petition against the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program (PUVMP) before the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, the Bayyo Association, consisting of Igorot drivers and operators hailing from Bayyo, Mountain Province, said it was making a “renewed appeal” for reconsideration of its petition.

“Our call for reconsideration is rooted in the direct adverse effects the phase-out of traditional jeepneys is having on us, drivers and operators, as government clearly failed in creating a just and equitable transition mechanism,” Bayyo Association president Anselmo Perweg, who led the petition to the High Court, said in a statement.

“We will be faced with the daunting prospect of significant debt from mandatory vehicle upgrades — with loans potentially reaching up to P2 million — members of the Bayyo Association are at risk of financial peril,” he added.

Perweg and his association were also accompanied by Federation of Free Workers president Sonny Matula, who also serves as their legal counsel.

The group filed their motion for reconsideration before the High Court at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.