MANILA — More than 3,000 modern public utility jeepneys will be deployed within the next 3 months in support of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
This was the commitment of various transport groups and vehicle manufacturing companies during the signing of the memorandum of agreement held last Friday at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) main building in Quezon City which was witnessed by officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) led by Undersecretary for Road Transport Thomas Orbos.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra III, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport Mark Richmund de Leon, LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz, and LTO Law Enforcement Service Director Francis Almora also witnessed the MOA signing between the parties.
Orbos sees improvement in the public transportation within the next few months due to the commitments of the transport groups and cooperatives to replace their old and dilapidated jeepneys with modern ones.
“Ang direksyon po ni Secretary Tugade ay mapabilis ang paglabas ng mga modern PUVs upang maiparanas ng agaran sa publiko ang comfort at convenience na dala ng PUV Modernization. Kaya doon po sa mga nagtatanong kung nasaan ang mga bagong jeepneys, darating na po ang mga bagong sasakyan within three to six months (Sec. Tugade has ordered the immediate deployment of PUVs to ensure comfort and convenience to passengers as a result of the PUV Modernization. To those who are asking where the new jeepneys are, these will arrive within three to six months),” Orbos said.
The transportation official vowed that assistance will be provided to transport groups through facilitating easier access to loans to replace their old and dilapidated jeepney units.
For his part, Delgra said the Board is in the process of crafting the local public transport route plan within the next few months will become as basis for the granting of PUV franchises.
Under the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines of the PUVMP, public transport routes will be planned by local government units (LGUs) based on the current and projected travel patterns in their respective areas. Galvante likewise assured to the transport operators that they would be able to distribute new license plates within the year.
During the MOA signing, a private transport supplier committed to deliver 20,000 new PUVs per year while another supplier pledged to help operators in the processing of the financing requirements and roll-out the modern units.
Transport groups such as Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) and Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers’ Association of the Philippines (Altodap) signed a MOA with Eco Dyip Inc. for fleet management and replacement of units.
Meanwhile, MCCI Connection Transport Services Corp. also signed a MOA with 17 transport organizations for fleet consolidation and supply of new PUV units.
Under the said agreement, the transport groups will enroll their members to cooperatives or cooperatives for fleet consolidation to gain better access to resources, share operations and maintenance costs and maximize profits thru efficient vehicle dispatch.
Other transport organizations and cooperatives who attended the event were Green Earth Transport Services Coop., NJFest, Sta. Ana Service Coop., MJOTS Coop., Compadres Tourist and Transport Services, Manila West Transport Coop., Neco GSIS Coop., CRMT Coop., FACTT Inc., Atodab, Jam Liner, Philtranco, Pasang Masda, ITCD Corp., LTOP Inc., David Motor, Luzviminda NTF, and OTC.
The PUVMP will replace jeepney units that are 15 years old with Euro 4 engines or electrically-powered engines with solar panels for roofs. These will also be equipped with closed-circuit television cameras, a GPS navigation system, an Automatic Fare Collection System, speed limiters, dashboard cameras, and Wi-Fi. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
