by Miriam G. Desacada
Palo,Leyte–Before the 31-December-2023 deadline, 94 percent of public utility vehicles (PUV) operators in Eastern Visayas have consolidated, as required by law, for the PUV modernization program, said Regional Director Gualberto Gualberto of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Region 8 (LTFRB-8).
This put Region 8 on record as one of the highest in consolidation-compliant sectors in the country, ensuring that modernization program will be achieved here, and that the region will have enough modern PUV units for public commuters through different routes.
This also explains why there has been no transport strikes in any part of the region, Gualberto said, citing the penchant for compliance by PUV operators and drivers here. “Almost all of individual transport operators opted to consolidate themselves to prepare for transport cooperative using modernized PUVs,” he said.
Unlike in other regions, the drivers and operators in Eastern Visayas have not been against the PUV modernization program. Many of them said that, instead of spending their time and efforts in protest actions and strikes, they would rather go on with their jobs because they need to have an income to address the dai;y needs of their respective families.
LTFRB data shows that of 3,692 registered PUVs in the region, about 3,480 units, including more than 700 modern buses and jeepneys, have consolidated since the Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched the PUV Modernization Program in 2017 to this day.
It was learned that a modern jeepney costs about P1.4 million, an amount that is somehow restrictive to a single small-time operator, the reason why consolidation had been offered as a solution that will unify resources of operators and enable them to afford procuring the expensive vehicles.
Consolidation involves the formation of transport cooperatives or other legal entities, which will be entitled to such benefits as government subsidies and access to credit facilities to help them modernize their fleets and run the modernized units systematically and predictably, according to LTFRB-8.
This year, LTFRB-8 will only allow the operation of consolidated traditional PUV units with provisional authority until they acquire the required modern PUVs.
“We don’t expect a transport crisis here. Although some are still using traditional PUVs but they are required to secure provisional authority from our office,” Gualberto said.
Those individual operators who did not apply or join the consolidation until the given deadline are now at risk of getting their traditional vehicles apprehended, the LTFRB-8 said.
” Let it be noted na walang mangyayaring phase out ng traditional PUJs duon sa mga nagconsolidate, except sa mga hindi nag-apply for considation before the Dec. 31 deadline dahil huhulihin na namin ang mga sasakyan nila kung sa kaling mag- operate pa sila” Gualberto added
Some operators have yet to secure loans from government banks to acquire modern vehicles pending the completion of the local government units’ local public transport route plan (LPTRP).
The LPTRP is a detailed route network with specific modes of transportation and the required number of units per mode for delivering land transport services. The document will serve as the basis for the minimum requirement prescribed for the issuance of PUV franchises.
In the region, LGUs with approved LPTRP are Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Burauen, Albuera, and Julita towns, Baybay City, and Ormoc City in Leyte; Lope de Vega in Northern Samar; and Libagon, Liloan, Padre Burgos, and Saint Bernard towns in Southern Leyte.
The PUV modernization program aims to transform the public transportation in the country into a more efficient and environment-friendly system, on top of making both commuting and transportation operations more dignified, humane, and on par with global standards. —-Miriam G. Desacada