ILOILO CITY — Two transport groups based here have formed a cooperative to prepare for the government’s jeepney modernization program.
The Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA) president Raymundo Parcon said the cooperative was created mainly to help ease the financial needs of public utility jeepney operators (PUJs) who need to purchase modern units.
Dubbed as Western Visayas Transport Cooperative, Parcon said that 16 jeepney operators have registered as members of the cooperative. Also joining the cooperative is the Confederation of Iloilo Provincial Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (CIPJODA) and its members.
“We are expecting more operators to join this year,” Parcon said.
The government’s modernization program or the phase-out of 15-year old jeepneys is expected to take effect this year.
Parcon said that it would specifically affect 90 percent of the 2,000 PUJ units under CIPJODA, as well as 90 percent of the 1,700 PUJ units under the ICLAJODA.
With the newly-created cooperative, Parcon assured the operators that they are ready whenever the government pushed for it as the cooperative will finance the needs of its members.
“Our operations will continue,” he said.
To date, the cooperative has already around PHP300,000 fund from the registration fees of members.
Each member will pay PHP10,000 as share capital.
Parcon said that they would also secure loans through the cooperative in order for them to buy modern jeepneys for its members.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to launch hundreds of modern jeepneys this January.
The DOTr’s modern jeepney is powered with Euro 4 engines or electrically-powered engines with solar panels for roofs, equipped with safety features, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS), speed limiter, closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) and dashboard camera.
Each units cost PHP1.3 million to PHP1.6 million.
But Parcon said that the price from the government is costly so they are planning to partner with a supplier offering jeepney units that complies with the specifications set by DOTr. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
