The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is pushing to institutionalize the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) to make transport modernization a conventional project in the country.
Lawyer Robert Peig, Executive Director of LTFRB, raised this proposal in a Laging Handa public briefing on Friday, Dec. 2.
Based on the latest data of LTFRB, Peig said there were at least 7,873 operators nationwide who have availed of the PUVMP.
“Sa atin pong latest data, nasa 7,873 na po ang nakapag-modernize na. Tuloy-tuloy po ang LTFRB sa pag-proseso sa loan applications ng mga operators. (In our latest data, 7,873 have already modernized . The LTFRB continues to process the loan applications of the operators),” said Peig.
He added that with the processing of loans continuing to roll out, more modernized PUVs will soon flock to the streets next year.
“And hopefully itong darating na taon madadagdagan pa po itong data natin ng modernized units (And hopefully this coming year we will increase our data with modernized units).”
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has revived the passage of modernized public utility vehicles after the project slowed to a halt during the Duterte administration because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Modernized jeepney each amounting to P2.4 million makes jeepney operators halt from availing of the modernization program, according to some transport groups.
‘Libreng Sakay’ budget
Meanwhile, the LTFRB asked the legislative body to add-up more allocations for the round-the-clock free rides along the EDSA busway, which officially started yesterday, Dec. 1
Peig underscored that the Congress should enact to extend more budget inclusions for the “Libreng Sakay” program to help the transport sector recover from the pandemic.
“Ang rekomendasyon po ng ating ahensya, humihingi po tayo ng karagdagang budget para po sa libreng sakay sa 2023. At umaasa po kami na ito po ay aaprubahan ng ating Kongreso para po sa ating mananakay nationwide at tulong na rin sa ating mga partner na drivers and operators (Our recommendation is that, we are asking for an additional budget for the free ride operations in 2023. And we’re hoping that this will be approved by our Congress for our riders nationwide and help for our partner drivers and operators),” Peig added.
EDSA carousel is running 24 hours with free rides under the Service Contracting Program of the DOTr. The LTFRB also added 100 public utility buses deployed to service commuters under the extended operational hours from 11:01 p.m. to 3:59 a.m.
During ordinary hours, up to 650 buses will be deployed to service free rides from the Monumento station up to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, according to the agency.