Gov't to pilot PUV modernization before year end —LTFRB's Delgra

The pilot implementation of the government's Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) will kick off before the end of the year, Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Martin Delgra said on Thursday.

In an ambush interview with reporters at the House of Representatives, Delgra said the government is now preparing to pilot the program.

"That will involve halos lahat ng components—from putting up new units, to the consolidation [of operators], to the route rationalization," he said.

"Ibig sabihin, tignan natin yung kapasidad ng isang ruta, anong klaseng sasakyan ang ilalagay, ilan ang sasakyan na ilalagay. Kasi nga, yan yung mga issues na kailangan nating sagutin doon sa route rationalization," he added.

However, there is no definite timeline yet on the full implementation of the program.

"It's a work in progress," Delgra noted.

There are jeepney drivers and operators who oppose the PUVMP, claiming that the program is a phaseout plan that would compel them to buy new and more expensive models.

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) staged a two-day transport strike early this week in protest of the program, which earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte who gave them until the end of the year to upgrade their jeepneys.

Delgra noted the President was only expressing in his own way a sense of urgency in the need to upgrade jeepneys.

Pateros, Taguig, Pasay

"In fact, insofar as the preparations are concerned, yung component on the local public transport route plan (LPTRP) that we have put in place, we have already done. The pilot implementation? We already have finalized the LPTRP manual," he said.

"Insofar as the route rationalization study is concerned, for Manila in particular, we hope to have it by the end of October. We have been pushing the team from [University of the Philippines] which we have engaged to fast track the route rationalization plan," he added.

During the pilot phase, at least 100 units will be deployed in Pateros, Taguig, and Pasay, Delgra noted.

Once the test-run is in place, old jeepney units will not be allowed to ply specific routes, he added.

Delgra said government agencies involved in the program are also looking at how to consolidate jeepney franchises.

"We don't know how many operators in one route. That would depend on the number of units. Wala tayong hard and fast rule pagdating doon sa the number of operators required to hold the franchise in a particular route. But the spirit of consolidation is still there," he said.

Also, during the pilot phase, individual operators may be obliged to join a cooperative or an association.

"That is the way to go. And we're going to train or capacitate them to move forward into consolidation," he said.

"There are fixed costs in the maintenance of a unit. Kapag iisa ka, ganun na talaga yung gastos mo. Kapag dalawa, pag palagay natin na 10 units, mas spread out yung fixed cost in the operation," he said.

Monthy salary for drivers

Delgra noted the management and operations of a franchise under a cooperative system are more efficient.

Jeepney drivers will get a monthly salary from the cooperative once the PUV modernization program is in full swing.

"That is the way to move forward because, if you look at franchises, the management and operation of the franchise, kailangan mahawakan ng operator yung pagpapatakbo ng prankisa," he said.

Depending on the type of unit and the route, the driver could take home as much as P37,000 per month.

"Depende naman sa ruta. So ... we have to make the routes profitable. And to understand that, we need to understand na merong demand," Delgra noted.

"Kung ilan yung demand, that is what we're going to answer. Kasi kapag walang demand, or kakaunti lang talaga, ang itatalaga natin only a few units on that particular route," he added.

During a House hearing on Thursday, PISTON president George San Mateo said the group is not against modernization.

"Ang tinututulan naming ay ang pagmasaker sa aming kabuhayan at pagpapahirap sa mananakay at sambayanan alang-alang para gawing gatasan ng iilang mayayaman at makapangyarihan at ng mga tiwaling opisyal ng pamahalaan," he claimed.

Malacañang reiterated on Monday a commitment to the jeepney modernization program, claiming that the "left-leaning" PISTON is the only group that disagrees with the PUVMP. — VDS, GMA News