LTFRB chief wants PUV modernization institutionalized

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday said it wants the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) to be institutionalized.

At a televised public briefing, LTFRB executive director Robert Peig said this move would ensure that the improvement in public transportation would continue.

“Sa ngayon kasi ito ay isang special project so ang aming proposal ay sana maging isang regular function ng LTFRB itong PUVMP para tuloy-tuloy na ang pagsaayos ng ating public transportation sa bansa,” he said.

(For now, it is only a special project so our proposal is to make this a regular function of the LTFRB so the improvement in the public transport in the country would continue.)

So far, Peig said 7,873 PUVs have been modernized.

As described in its website, the LTFRB said the PUVMP calls for a “restructured, modern, well-managed and environmentally sustainable transport sector where drivers and operators have stable, sufficient and dignified livelihoods while commuters get to their destinations quickly, safely and comfortably."

Meanwhile, Peig said the the agency has directed operators to hire assistant drivers to aid passengers in the EDSA Bus Carousel Libreng Sakay program.

The LTFRB gave the order based on its assessment of the first day of the 24/7 operations of the government's free ride program on December 1.

“Base sa aming assessment, kailangan ng passenger assistant para po sa ating drivers para po kaagapay po ng mga drivers yung pag-assist po ng ating mga pasahero,” Peig said.

(Based on our assessment, the drivers need assistants to help them in facilitating passengers.)

The Libreng Sakay program started in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been in operation as a government-subsidized service contracting scheme.—Joviland Rita/LDF, GMA Integrated News