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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOTr: Jeepney drivers to have fixed salary, enjoy benefits of regular employees under PUVMP

DOTr: Jeepney drivers to have fixed salary, enjoy benefits of regular employees under PUVMP

Published Jan 15, 2024 07:22 am

Drivers of public utility jeepneys will no longer be tied on the boundary set by the operators as they will enjoy the full benefits of a regular employee under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), an official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Monday, Jan. 15.

Office of Transportation Cooperative chairman Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said looking after the welfare of PUV drivers is one of measures that will be addressed once the modernization program fully kicks in.

“The driver-operator relationship (under the boundary system) will be put to stop. As members of the cooperative, drivers will receive payments under a salary system that comes with overtime pay,” said Ortega in a press briefing at Malacanan.

The consolidation into either a cooperative or corporation is the first phase of the PUV Modernization Program, which transport officials, is essential in applying for a loan on a modern unit and in rationalization of franchises and routes across the country.

The deadline for consolidation was on Dec. 31 and the DOTr said no operators will be allowed to join existing cooperatives or corporations, or create new ones after the deadline.

The salary scheme under the PUV Modernization Program, according to transportation officials, refutes the allegations of some transport groups that the program is anti-poor.

Ortega said being members of the cooperative means that drivers would be enjoying benefits like the medical insurance through Philhealth, housing benefits through Pag-IBIG and the Social Security System (SSS).

“Once the cooperative becomes fully operational, the payment scheme for drivers is salary-based. Our drivers enjoy the benefits of regular employees,” said Ortega.

Aside from those benefits, Ortega said drivers will also enjoy the dividends as members of a cooperative. 

He added that under the PUV Modernization Program, drivers enjoy some of the privileges that only operators enjoy based on the current system.

“Both the drivers and operators have one vote, they have one voice. So there is really a  big difference between the drivers soon as compared to now,” said Ortega.

“And to add, the cooperative to which they belong could grow into a multi-purpose cooperative which means more opportunities and benefits in the future,” he added.

 

Related Tags

PUV Modernization Program
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