LTFRB-Davao consolidates 86% units of PUVs for modernization program

AN OFFICIAL from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Davao Region (LTFRB-Davao) said that they already consolidated 86 percent of units of Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) outside of Davao City in line with the mandatory consolidation policy of the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).

Eng. Ronnel Victor Panigon, head of the PUVMP of LTFRB-Davao, said during the Kapihan sa PIA, on Friday morning, January 12, 2024, that they have consolidated 83 percent units of Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) and 89 percent of the UV express units, a total of 86 percent in all units outside Davao City.

The government has set December 31, 2023, as the deadline for the consolidation of PUVs in the country.

In the LTFRB Memorandum Circular (MC) number 2023-052, it states that after the deadline, the office must categorize routes with 60 percent and above consolidation rate and those with less than 60 percent.

LTFRB-Davao is at a 100 percent submission rate and is operating 73 modernized PUVs in the region. He said that the data that they have is based on the number of applicants that they receive in their office for individual operators.

Atty. Ernest Benz Davila, chief Transportation Development Office of LTFRB-Davao, said that the routes with a 60 percent and above consolidation rate shall continue to operate under their existing Provisional Authority (PA) until December 31, 2024.

For those with less than 60 percent, the MC 2023-052 states that “The board may issue a Special Permit to other consolidated Transport Service Entities (TSEs) to operate on routes lietester per item which shall be valid for three months.”

Davila expressed that the reason they have not reached the 100 percent consolidation rate is that some of the individual operators are unconfirmed or did not renew their registration at the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Meanwhile, those who have consolidated their units are already in the process of acquiring highly modernized PUJ units.

Panigon said that it is one of the components of PUVMP which is the financial component under Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines.

As of writing, there are 73 modernized units in Davao del Sur and zero for Davao del Norte. However, Panigon is hopeful that they will be able to launch the program in the first quarter of 2024. (Read full story on sunstar. com.ph/davao)