LTFRB: Over 60% of PUV units in PH have already consolidated for PUV modernization
A total of 135,761 units of jeepneys, buses and other public utility vehicles (PUV) have so far consolidated into either a corporation or a cooperative as part of the requirements for the PUV Modernization Program.
The figure represents around 61 percent of the total number of units in the country that the national government wanted to consolidate before the Dec. 31 deadline for consolidation.
The national government is targeting 65 percent condolidation before the Dec. 31 deadline ends.
Some transport groups have been urging the government to lift the Dec. 31 deadline for consolidation, one of the reasons behind another transport strike by Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng Mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) on Dec. 14 and 15.
On Tuesday, President Marcos echoed the stand of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB that the Dec. 31 consolidation is non-negotiable.
This means that operators and drivers who would fail to consolidate by Dec. 31 will be having a serious problem in both their franchise and renewal of registration of vehicles, two of the major requirements for PUVs to operate.
Based on the DOTr data, a total of 262,653 operators, drivers and allied workers have already joined either a cooperative or a corporation.
A total of 1,739 cooperatives and corporation have been so far created across the country.
In Luzon, a total of 97,421 of the total 156,584 PUV units have already consolidated while a total of 20,837 of the total 38,890 units were recorded.
In Mindanao, a total of 17,503 units of the total 27,143 units have already consolidated.
The LTFRB expects more drivers and operators to consolidate before the end of this year.