Palace says 76.6% consolidation rate achieved for jeepneys

Malacañang on Monday said the national government has already achieved a 76.6% consolidation rate for jeepneys as part of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program. 

This was announced during a press briefing with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. The said figure was based on the latest data of the LTFRB.

Meanwhile, LTFRB - NCR regional director Zona Russet Tamayo said that based on available data, a total of 97.18% of the registered units of PUJs for 2023 have actually consolidated in Metro Manila. 

She also said the NCR routes that have not consolidated are those considered short distance routes. 

The Office of Transportation Cooperatives earlier appealed to PUV operators and drivers who failed to consolidate before the deadline to stop plying their routes beginning February 1 to avoid conflicts with apprehending authorities.

Over the weekend, transport group MANIBELA announced that it would hold a protest action on Tuesday, January 16, in a bid to persuade President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to reinstate the revoked franchises of drivers and operators who were unable to consolidate.

Meanwhile, MANIBELA chairman Mar Valbuena said they are hoping that there would be a hearing in Congress that would result in a recommendation to Marcos to extend the validity of the franchise of those PUV operators and drivers who failed to consolidate. 

Started in 2017, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace units that were not deemed roadworthy under the standards of the Land Transportation Office.

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations is the initial stage of the PUVMP. This aims to pass the burden of acquiring modernized units from operators to the transport entity.—AOL, GMA Integrated News