Individual and existing franchise holders under the PUV Modernization Program have until March 31, 2021, to file applications, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Wednesday.
“The Board hereby EXTENDS the filing of Application for Consolidation under Industry Consolidation until March 31, 2021 subject to the condition set forth under MC 2019-066, and the consolidation component as required under the PUV Modernization Program,” the memo said.
“All existing operators for Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) and UV Express Service (UVEs) with valid CPC and those existing Provisional Authority or Special Permit shall be covered by this Circular,” it added.
LTFRB’s original deadline was on December 31 but it was moved when President Rodrigo Duterte National Health Emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
DUMPER-PTDA party-list Representative Claudine Bautista requested the LTFRB to further extend the deadline, noting that the public transport industry is still recovering from the the impact of the pandemic.
“PUV operators and drivers cannot at this moment shoulder the cost that comes with the filing of their application for consolidation. Their current economic situation necessitates that they be given more time to get back to their own feet and fully recover,” she said.
LTFRB extends application for jeepney modernization to March 2021
Bautista also noted that under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, any phase out of non-compliant routes is prohibited.
“I never doubted that the LTFRB will heed the appeal of the public transport sector. The board deserves a commendation from a grateful industry,” she said.
The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) was launched by the Department of Transportation of the Philippines in 2017, with the goal of making the country’s public transportation system efficient and environmentally friendly by 2020.
The program calls for the phasing-out jeepneys, buses and other Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) that are at least 15 years old and replacing them with safer, more comfortable and more environmentally-friendly alternatives over the next three years. Currently, there are 220,000 jeepney units operating throughout the country.
The Land Bank of the Philippines estimates that each jeepney replacement will cost around ₱1.4 million to ₱1.6 million. However, based on an interest rate of 6% per annum and a payment period of 7 years, the actual cost of a jeepney reaches ₱2.1 million.