Mody Floranda, Piston president and Makabayan senatorial candidate, went to the office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to pass a petition with the signatures of 1,000 drivers who want to withdraw from the consolidated franchises they were forced to enter.

“This is proof that the LTFRB’s claim of an 80% consolidation rate is bogus because many people were intimidated, cheated and coerced!” Floranda said.

“(This) proves that they have lost their livelihood since they entered the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP),” he said regarding the drivers who now want to withdraw from the program. Disadvantaged drivers and operators have gone to Congress and the Senate to convey to these institutions that they are in debt because of the program. The Senate, Congress and even the regime all know that imported vehicles are very expensive as replacement to traditional jeepneys.

“As long as the Marcos regime continues to cling to foreigners and big businessmen, our public transportation will never be fixed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Piston called on Congress to refuse the ₱1.6 billion budget request of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for PTMP for 2025.

“Instead of funding the PTMP, the government should prioritize funding and subsidizing the rehabilitation of existing jeepneys to increase public transport supply, provide compensation and damages to those who have lost their livelihood due to the enforced phaseout of traditional jeepneys, and support local manufacturers instead of funneling funds to foreign suppliers,” the group said.