There will be no phaseout of traditional jeepneys in the country after the deadline of public utility jeepney (PUJ) franchise consolidation, Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III  clarified.

However, he stated that the consolidation must be completed by December 31 of this year, but this does not mean that traditional jeepneys would no longer be permitted to operate on the roadways by the end of the year.

“Kailangan pong tapusin ang consolidation sa December 31. Ang hinihingi lang po namin sa kanila ay yung tinatawag na substantial compliance (They have to finish the consolidation by Dec. 31. We’re just asking them for substantial compliance),” Guadiz said in a media briefing at the LTFRB main office on Thursday, Nov. 16.

“Ibig sabihin, ‘pag kayo po ay nag-file at compliant na po kayo kahit hindi pa po tapos ay considered na po kayong consolidated, kaya po pwede po kayong tumakbo ng inyong ruta (This means that, when you file and became compliant, even if you are not yet done with the process, you are considered consolidated, that’s why you can still ply your route),” he added.

As they will be given 27 months or more to transition from traditional to modern jeepney units, Guadiz urged traditional jeepneys to maximize the 27 months given to them as they can still ply the road so long as their vehicles are determined by the LTO as “roadworthy.”

“Hindi po totoo na within three, six, or nine months ay kailangan ka na pong magbago ng unit, wala pong katotohanan ‘yon, pawang kasinungalingan po ‘yon (It is not true that within three, six, or nine months you will have to change the unit, there is no truth in that, it is all a lie),” the LTFRB chief said.

The agency said that, as of October, 60 percent of PUJs in the country have been consolidated, giving them hope that the government will be able to complete the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program under the current administration.

Citing the consolidation data, Guadiz said the degree of acceptance of drivers and operators on the modernization program is growing.

“Based on our study, there is a lot of disinformation happening on the ground. What our drivers are afraid of now is the phase-out that we always repeat over and over again saying that there is no phase-out,” he said in Filipino.

“We have simplified the requirements for you to organize into a cooperative or corporation and we even simplified it now, that you do not need to complete all the requirements until December 31.”