Amid the current health crisis and typhoons that hit the country, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) continued to launch new modernized public utility vehicles (PUVs) in parts of Luzon and Visayas.
According to the LTFRB, modernized passenger buses and jeepneys were inaugurated by its regional offices in Ilocos Region, Southern Luzon, and Eastern Visayas on Friday to show support to the government's PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).

In Region 1, 23 modernized PUVs were allowed to traverse the Laoag City to Paoay via Batac route under the new consolidated Ilocos Transport Cooperative.
At least 23 modern Class 2 public utility jeepneys (PUJs) were also launched in Region 4 under the Silang Transport Service Development Cooperative (STSDC) which have been authorized to ply the Silang-Zapote route since May 2020.
While in Region 8, a total of 10 modernized public utility buses were introduced -- seven for the Tacloban-Ormoc route, and three for the Tacloban-Naval route -- that will be allowed to start its operations by the end of the month.
The new units that were launched, the LTFRB said, are equipped with Euro-4 engines, and accessories such as CCTV, dashcams, speed limiters, automatic fare collection system, and WiFi.
The PUVMP is the flagship transport project of the administration through the DOTr in a bid to make public transportation in the country safer and more comfortable, and to lessen the environmental pollution brought by worn-out and smoke-belching PUVs.
The Department of Transportation and the LTFRB earlier said that it will continue to implement the PUVMP even during the pandemic and despite protests being mounted by various transports groups who have been opposing the program.