ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Second chance: DOTr reopens PUV consolidation for unconsolidated operator

Second chance: DOTr reopens PUV consolidation for unconsolidated operator

Published May 7, 2025 11:03 am

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has reopened the consolidation process for drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) who have yet to join the government’s highly contentious Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

Under Department Order (DO) No. 2025-009, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon authorized the resumption of applications for consolidation and the issuance of provisional authorities for unconsolidated individual operators.

The DOTr, through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), previously set the final deadline for consolidation in November 2024.

Consolidating operators and drivers plying the same route into a single cooperative or corporation is a crucial component of PTMP, designed to centralize the operations of PUVs.

When the initial April deadline lapsed last year, unconsolidated jeepneys were tagged as “colorum” or operating illegally.

Transport groups have repeatedly expressed their opposition to consolidation, citing its threat to small operators and impact on drivers’ livelihoods.

Last March, Dizon ordered the creation of a special committee to review the PTMP to address the concerns of drivers and operators.

Dizon, who has vowed to fast-track the modernization program since assuming the role as secretary, said reopening the consolidation process would ensure “a more equitable and just transition” for PUVs while the panel’s review is still ongoing.

“To balance the overall interests and welfare of all stakeholders in the public transport sector, it is equally imperative to safeguard the interests of the consolidated operators who have complied with the policies of the PTMP while ensuring equitable opportunities for unconsolidated individual operators,” the order stated.

DO No. 2025-009 covers operators of traditional jeepneys and UV express who failed to consolidate and with units confirmed with the LTFRB and registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the year 2023 or 2024.

It also covers operators with a pending application or motion to accept consolidation.

Based on the order’s guidelines, unconsolidated operators can join a consolidated cooperative or corporation provided the fleet will not exceed the approved number of authorized units (NAU) in the specific route.

Those not yet consolidated are also permitted to join routes with less than 60 percent NAU, without a consolidated or selected entity, and where NAU remains low.

If an operator cannot consolidate under the guidelines, the DOTr enables them to propose new routes without an approved local public transport route plan (LPTRP).

To ensure quality of service, the agency is mandating individual operators to implement a common fleet operations management plan through the use of an agreed service plan and a common garage and terminal, if available.

The DOTr will provide support and technical assistance for integrating operators in the common fleet.

The provisional authority, provided to operators not yet completely consolidated, will now be valid for one year and is subject to extensions or renewals.

The LTFRB earlier claimed an 86 percent consolidation rate nationwide, prompting a transport strike from Manibela last March over the inaccuracy.

The DOTr chief has since confirmed that only 43 percent have consolidated so far. 

PTMP, originally known as PUVMP, has faced several protests and transport strikes since it was first launched in 2017 over issues surrounding the welfare of drivers and operators.

The program aims to phase out traditional jeepneys to be replaced by electric-powered or Euro 4-compliant vehicles.

Related Tags

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.