SC asked to halt December 31 PUV consolidation deadline

MANILA, Philippines — Transport groups on Wednesday filed a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court (SC), seeking to suspend the deadline of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) consolidation which is scheduled on December 31. 

In the petition, the transport groups asked the high court to make all memorandum circulars related to the PUV consolidation be declared “null and void” as they violate certain constitutional rights. 

Among the petitioners are Piston chairman Mody Floranda, KOMYUT spokesperson Ma. Flora May Cerna, Elmer Foro, Bayan Muna Party-list Coordinator Gaylord Despuez, and Jason Fajilagutan.

The PUV consolidation requires all PUV operators to file for transport service entities to be a cooperative or a corporation on or before December 31. 

This is a part of the of the controversial  PUV modernization program which the transport groups repeatedly said will bury drivers and operators into debt. 

Operators who missed the consolidation deadline will face franchise revocation starting Jan. 1, 2024. 

The petitioners argued that the consolidation are only administrative orders and not a law which they said are beyond the authority of the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

“No legislation was passed to support the so-called PUV modernization” program or its various facets including mandatory consolidation, nor has there been any amendment to Republic Act No. 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, Article 4(1) of which provides that cooperatives are voluntary organization,” the petition read.

The group also said that the LTFRB forces them to undergo “cooperativization” which it said violates the constitutional right of freedom of association and Section 4 of RA 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Code.

“The aforementioned DOTr order and LTFRB circulars are aimed at and have the effect of forcing individual operators of PUVs to form or join consolidated entities at the risk of having their franchises and PAs revoked, thereby, preventing them from operating beyond December, 31, 2023,” the petition read. 

Bayan Muna Party-list expressed its support for the transport group’s plea and urged