A three-year technical cooperation project is underway to improve fixed-route service for public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila, such as buses, jeepneys, and Utility Van Express services.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed on Wednesday a record of discussions for a project titled “Capacity Development of Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) in Metro Manila and its Adjoining Areas.”
Under this, JICA will provide technical assistance for effective route planning, the development of intermodal transport hubs, and the improvement of the convenience of fixed-route PUVs.
JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema said they will bring “full cooperation to realize modernized ‘Japan-quality’ public transportation systems in the Philippines.”
With the signing of a record of discussions for the project, it is expected that it will “not just to build better transport systems, but in paving the way for a brighter and more connected future for our country,” said Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.
This collaboration is part of JICA’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) strategic plan to transform public transportation in the country through other infrastructure development projects, such as the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway Project,
Capacity Enhancement of LRT Lines 1 and 2, and Rehabilitation and Maintenance of MRT3.
The ODA also supports soft-component development, such as the Establishment and Capacity Development of the Philippine Railway Institute, the Formulation of a 30-year Railway Master Plan for the Greater Capital Region, and the Capacity Enhancement of Transit-Oriented Development.
DOTr’s attached agencies’ Land Transportation Franchising, Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Office for Transportation Cooperatives (OTC), as well as local government units, are set to coordinate with the project.
Traffic in Metro Manila was ranked the worst globally according to the Traffic Index TomTom in
2023, while a 2017 JICA survey noted that around P3.5 billion were lost daily due to traffic congestion and may increase to P5.4 billion by 2035.
JICA also said that the traffic congestion in the Philippines hindered the country from attracting more investments, only ranking 6th out of 10 ASEAN countries in terms of foreign direct investment inflows from 2021 to 2022.