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Policy Lobbying and Advocacy: Essential for Advancing Public Transport Modernization

Policy lobbying and advocacy are crucial activities for civil society organizations (CSOs) and people’s organizations (POs). These efforts aim to draft and establish policy guidelines that benefit the people, particularly those who are poor, vulnerable, and marginalized.

Transport cooperatives must stay informed about issues affecting the sector and engage constructively with the government to address identified concerns. This includes issues related to the implementation of the Public Transport Modernization Program.

By raising awareness among their leaders and members, transport cooperatives can effectively advocate for the creation, amendment, or repeal of rules that benefit both their members and the wider commuting public.

It is imperative for the sector to engage in lobbying and advocacy, even with the demanding schedules involved in managing transport operations and fleets. This includes conducting activities aimed at influencing public officials and legislators to support their agenda.

Identifying allies in the lower and upper chamber such as Congressman Emon Espares from the Coop Natcco Party List, Congressman Nikki Briones from the AGAP Party List, Congressman Romeo Acop from Antipolo’s 2nd Congressional District, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Senators Imee Marcos, Migz Zubiri, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Tolentino is crucial for advocating the priority agenda of the transport sector.

Furthermore, partnership with Secretary Jaime Bautista of the Department of Transportation, through Usec Andy Ortega, and LTFRB Chair Atty. Teofilo Guadiz and OTC Chairperson Rey DeGuzman Jr. In promoting the program ensures the sustainability and efficiency of the program.

Additionally, it is vital to educate the riding public on the importance and benefits of transitioning from traditional jeepneys to modernized vehicles.

The Board of Trustees of the Coop Chamber, chaired by Noel D. Raboy, strongly supports transport cooperatives in their essential role in the success of the Public Transport Modernization Program.

Advocacy and lobbying are essential components of the political dynamics in a democratic government. 

One of our main programs is to initiate and pursue key policy reforms to champion the cooperative movement by advocating policies, laws, and regulations that support and protect the interests of cooperatives, ensuring their sustainability, and success. The leaders of the Coop Chamber and transport cooperatives should act as resource persons in legislative hearings, executive meetings, and dialogue at the National Level, while the regional coop chamber leaders and its ally transport coop leaders must represent the organization at the regional level, where cooperative concerns and issues are being tackled.

This program also aims to raise awareness and generate popular and continuing support in addressing issues and concerns of the transport cooperative especially that there are several stakeholders in the sector that are opposing the Public Transport Modernization Program.

Moreover, the Coop chamber and the transport coop leaders should represents the cooperative sectors to various government agencies to advance cooperative ideals, values, and principles.

Our immediate objectives are:

  1. To initiate and pursue key policy reforms to champion the cooperative movement by advocating policies, laws, and regulations that support and protect the interests of cooperatives, ensuring their sustainability, and success, such as the transport modernization program in all levels of its implementation.
  • To raise awareness and generate popular and continuing support in addressing issues and concerns of the cooperative movement.
  • To effectively lobby with Congress and relevant government agencies in pushing its legislative and executive agenda, and network with other stakeholders and social movements in campaigns to advance the interests of the cooperative movement both at the regional and national levels.
  • The Coop Chamber Board of Trustees and its officers and the regional coop chamber leaders act as resource persons in legislative and executive hearings and meetings where cooperative concerns and issues are being tackled at the National and regional levels respectively.

In advocating the cause of the movement, the coop chamber also created a lobby group at both the national and regional levels. Transport Coop Leaders must join in the lobby group.

These lobbyists will be equipped with knowledge and skills in lobbying and campaigns related to the cooperative movement’s agenda.

Hopefully, the Coop Chamber’s legislative and executive agenda, including the agenda of the transport sector are mainstreamed and adopted by the legislators and executive officials of the government.

Moreover, we intend to partner and collaborate with the sector, and other stakeholders in pursuing legislative reforms that will benefit the transport sector in particular and the country in general.

This should also apply in the regions.

  • Regional Government Agencies- NGAs cascade their programs and services throughout the country. This includes the Cooperative Development Authority and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

    However in a broader perspective,  there is a need to identify programs and services for cooperatives that are peculiar to the region. This will help the coop chamber develop a program for advocating the interests and concerns of the cooperatives with the various agencies with cooperative programs or other services that will help in the development of cooperatives in a particular area in the region.
  • The Coop Chamber must engage Non-Governmental Organizations, Federations, and Unions in forming a united front, particularly on the agenda that the parties have in common, and for the development of cooperativism in the region.

Moreover, the Coop Chamber also organizes public forums, provides resource speakers in all cooperative events, and functions to ventilate issues and propose recommendations related to cooperatives.

What lies ahead? Ways forward

Moving forward, it’s important to note that the modernization program has been in the works for some time, gaining momentum in 2017 and continued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. upon assuming office.

The program has not been poorly planned, despite some attempts to portray it as such. President Marcos himself expressed his support for the program on December 12, 2023, stating that his administration will fully back the Public Transport Modernization Program.

According to the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, 83.3% of the nationwide Industry Franchise Consolidation has been completed, with the cooperatives operating and meeting the public’s transportation needs.

Cooperatives encountered several challenges when starting, such as accessing loans and fulfilling fleet management and personnel hiring requirements. They have already invested significant amounts of money in monthly payments to financial institutions like Land bank and DBP. Therefore, it is important to revisit the Senate’s resolution proposing to suspend the program, as this could lead to further financial difficulties for the cooperatives.

With the modernization program well underway and many cooperatives already consolidated, they have experienced modest success by forming themselves into cooperatives. While the program may have its shortcomings, the solution is not to suspend it, but to institutionalize it through legislation. This would involve providing additional subsidies and tax incentives, especially for those interested in establishing local manufacturing or assembly of modernized vehicles in the Philippines. It is also crucial to lower the cost of vehicles, finalize the Local Public Transport Route Plan, and provide free common terminals through the Local Government Units (LGUs) or perhaps through public and private partnership on this matter.

Finally, the Coop Chamber stated that in the Philippines, the private sector, represented by transport cooperatives in partnership with the government, plays a crucial role in creating a modern, well-managed, and environmentally sustainable transport sector. This allows drivers and operators to have stable, sufficient, and dignified livelihoods while ensuring that commuters arrive at their destinations safely and comfortably. The passage of a law institutionalizing the Public Transport Modernization Program will benefit more the riding public.

Thus, the Public Transport Modernization Program must proceed.

Let us continue to lobby for the passage of HB 09061 and SB 105.

Mabuhay ang Kilusang Koopertiba!

For the movement.

Edwin A. Bustillos

Executive Director

Contact details:
Mobile Number: +63 9178017309

Email Address: coopchamber.ph@gmail.com

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