The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Western Visayas (LTFRB-6) is still waiting for the guidelines from the central office on the proposal to give operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) another chance to consolidate.
According to LTFRB-6 legal counsel, Atty. Jun Altura, they are hoping that the board will meet within this week to formulate a policy about reopening the consolidation process.
Earlier, the LTFRB – Central Office was considering another opportunity for unconsolidated jeepney operators to join the government’s Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).
LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said they will reopen the application process for the consolidation, following his meeting with several transportation officials and Senate president Chiz Escudero, who earlier called for PTMP’s suspension until some concerns are solved.
“Napag-usapan po namin na iyong mga hindi pa ho sumasama sa programa ng gobyerno ay bibigyan ho namin ng pagkakataon. They can join existing cooperatives and corporations,” Guadiz said in a media briefing in Malacañang on Monday, September 23.
According to Guadiz, they will consider giving unconsolidated operators about 60 more days to comply, encouraging them to grab the opportunity instead of continuing with their protest.
However, he said that the chance to join cooperatives and corporations would not allow jeepney drivers and operators to create their own group.
“They will just be there to join in fairness naman po doon sa mga nandoon na sa mga rutang iyon at sila na po ang bumabaybay,” he added.
Meanwhile, Transportation Undersecretary Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said consolidated PUVs are now at 83 percent.
Seventeen percent is composed of unregistered PUJ drivers, Ortega said.
Of the number, only five percent are unconsolidated jeepney operators, he added.
Under the PTMP, traditional PUV operators are required to form cooperatives or corporations to gain access to business financing and acquire modernized jeepney units.
Traditional jeepneys will be replaced with modernized vehicles compliant with Euro 4 engines as part of efforts to reduce air pollution.
The Department of Transportation had earlier set a deadline on April 30 of this year, for transport groups to comply with the PTMP guidelines.
For their part, PUV drivers and operators complained about replacing their vehicles with Euro 4 compliant ones as the cost could reach at least P2 million for only one unit./WDJ