DOTR, DBP INK MOU ON PUV MODERNIZATION:
The Department of Transportation and Development Bank of the Philippines yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding on the modernization of public utility vehicles and the launch of the DBP financing program. In photo are (from left) Transportation Undersecretary for road infrastructure Thomas Orbos, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, DBP chair Alberto Romulo and DBP president Cecilia Borromeo.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) wants to complete the modernization of public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the country in two to three years.
“We’re looking at two to three years,” Mark de Leon, assistant secretary for road transport and infrastructure at the DOTr told reporters yesterday.
As part of the PUV modernization program, De Leon said the DOTr is talking to local government units (LGU) to enable them to come up with their respective local public transport route plans which would contain the routes, as well as the required number of PUVs to service the routes.
“We’re looking at one to two years before the LGUs can complete the local public transport route plan,” he said.
For Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao, he said the DOTr is preparing the public transport route plan.
The public transport plan will serve as the basis for the grant of franchise to PUVs by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Earlier this year, the DOTr launched the PUV modern- ization program to promote environment-friendly and more efficient public transport systems to better serve passengers.
Aside from the upgrade of PUVs, De Leon said the program also covers the implementation of automatic fare collection system (AFCS).
He said talks are ongoing with AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the company behind the beep card, for the use of the technology by modernized PUVs.
While there are ongoing discussions with AFPI, he said the government would also be open to other firms which could provide AFCS for PUVs.