THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has assured Filipinos that the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program would push through, but it emphasized the need to strengthen support for cooperatives that have already consolidated, as well as groups struggling to pay the monthly installments for their modern jeepney units.
The PUV Modernization Program aims to overhaul the Philippines' aging public transportation system by phasing out old, traditional jeepneys and replacing them with safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly vehicles.
The program mandates the consolidation of individual operators into cooperatives or corporations to improve the management, financing and service delivery of public transport.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has given clear instructions to extend support to cooperatives that have already joined the modernization initiative, emphasizing the need to continue accommodating operators and drivers who were unable to consolidate before the deadline because driving is their primary source of income for their families.
According to the DOTr, applications remain open for operators and drivers who have yet to consolidate, allowing them to secure Provisional Authorities (PA) so they can begin operating once again while working toward full compliance with the program.
Likewise, the DOTr said it is actively studying several persistent issues affecting the program's rollout.