Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said that as land public transportation shifts to the use of modernized and more environment-friendly jeepneys in the near future, the consolidation of public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers into cooperatives is vital to ensure the efficiency of their operations.
Without consolidation, Bautista said individual operations are inefficient and the standards of transport operations and safety will not be maintained.
“It’s important to consolidate now because kailangan maging efficient ang operations [land public transport]. Kung hindi tayo magcoconsolidate, we will continue to operate the way we operate—kanya-kanya, nagaaway tayo sa kalye, hindi maayos yung standards ng operation, ng safety,” Bautista said on the sidelines of the Communications Assessment and New Year’s Call with Secretary Bautista.
“Kung kanya-kanya ang operations, hindi maaayos yan [public transport],” he added.
The transport chief assured that the DOTr, along with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Office for Transportation Cooperatives (OTC), will push for the effectiveness of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) now that the deadline for consolidation has expired last December 31, 2023.
“We will make the PUVMP effective,” he said.
Bautista likewise allayed the concerns of various groups regarding the shift to modernized jeepneys, explaining that the transition will take time, adding that traditional jeepneys can still ply the roads as long as it is road-worthy.
“Bakit ang kinakatakot nila na kailangan magoperate agad ng modern jeepney? Hindi naman eh. Palagi namin inuulit na yung modern jeepney darating yan as there is fund to pay for it,” he said.