Consolidated jeepney operators planning ‘actions’ if PUVMP suspended —DOTr

Public utility jeepney operators who complied with the government’s consolidation deadline are planning to conduct a series of protests if the implementation of the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP) will be suspended, a top official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday.

Interviewed on PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Andy Ortega said the transportation cooperatives and corporations expressed a mix of sadness and anger towards a proposed Senate resolution calling for the postponement of PUVMP's implementation. 

“They feel they are the majority, which they are, and they feel they embraced the program at alam nila tuloy tuloy na 'to kaya (and they know this will push through so) they invested a lot of time and money sa program because they believe in the program of the government,” Ortega said.

“That’s why they are now, sama-sama na ang transpo coops pati na rin mga corporation (both the transpo coops and corporaions), they plan to do series of actions,” he said.

Ortega said by the end of the April 30 deadline, about 83% of PUV operators have consolidated into cooperatives or corporations.

“On the part of DOTr, we are preparing our answer, a letter para mai-clarify at masabi sa mga butithing senador kung ano ang totoong status ng magandang programa natin (to clarify and tell the good senators the real status of our program) which is the Public Transportation Modernization Program,” he said.

After the consolidation phase, the DOTr official said the government is now doing its Local Public Transportation Route Plan (LPTRP) or the route rationalization component of the PUVMP.

Ortega said the LPTRP will determine the appropriate number of units that should serve a particular route.

“Hopefully finished by 2026 para ang buong Pilipinas ay tapos na ‘yung second phase ng programa… ‘yung (so we can complete the second phase of the program) LPTRP or route rationalization,” he said.

“After that is the next phase which is to acquire modern vehicles,” he added.

The PUVMP, which started in 2017, aims to replace jeepneys with vehicles with at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace PUVs that were not roadworthy by the standards of the Land Transportation Office.

The program required jeepney drivers and operators to join or form cooperatives. They could also apply for new franchises but as part of transport cooperatives.—AOL, GMA Integrated News