Members of PISTON held a press conference in Quezon City on July 15, 2024, presenting the state of the public transport sector and their continued fight against the public transport modernization program. The group reiterated their call for the complete junking of the PUV Modernization Program, criticizing it as corporate and foreign-oriented. The group also hailed the recent transport strikes as successful after the LTFRB issued a resolution on April 30 permitting unconsolidated PUVs to operate on low-consolidation routes. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday asked Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero to let the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) continue.

This comes after a majority of senators sought to suspend the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). 

Senators seek temporary suspension of PUV modernization program

In his letter, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the government has already invested a lot of resources into the jeepney modernization program. 

In 2024 alone, the government has already appropriated P 1.6 billion for the program, he noted. 

"The program's utilization rate is already at fifty three percent 53 percent of the P7.5 billion budget from 2018 to 2024. Suspending the Program now risks wasting these investments and incurring additional costs to reestablish similar initiatives in the future," he said.

He also stressed that this will disrupt services for many of those who benefits from the PUV Modernization Program.

Bautista also stressed that the PTMP does not require PUV operators and drivers to immediately buy modern PUVS upon consolidation. 

"PUV modernization will occur gradually over the next three to four years after the consolidation deadline," he said.

He also said that both imported and locally-made Philippine National Standards- and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-compliant modern jeepney units are available on the market.

Bautista also noted that consolidating PUVs also operators to better manage their fleets. 

"We wish to emphasize that the industry consolidation component of PTMP endeavors to facilitate a shift away from the current boundary system and single-ownership dominance," Bautista said.

"This approach will enable TSEs to gauge their financial and technical capacity to operate on routes, and assess their ability to make significant investments, such as the staggered transition to modern units."

DOTr says with 83% consolidation rate, no need to suspend PUV modernization program

He also said that consolidation will allow drivers and operators to have a one-route-one-franchise system.

"The main goal is to encourage individual franchise holders to operate their units under a single juridical entity to gain access to common resources, better fleet management, efficient collection, and to ensure a more effective records management system."

Senators said they backed the move to suspend the PUV modernization program because of the insufficiency of the government’s information drive to educate drivers, operators, and transport groups about the program as well as the "burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs, which greatly exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators."

Senators also noted that only 174 or 11.05 percent of 1,574 local government units have approved their Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP). 

In response, Bautista said that the bureau will create a LPTRP Technical Panel, composed of representatives from DOTr and other attached agencies, to ensure expeditious and efficient review and approval of LPTRPs.

The DOTr also said it will enter into a Joint Memorandum Circular, to provide updated and enhanced processes for LPTRP evaluation and approval.