Transportation officials on Friday shrugged off concerns that a transport crisis is imminent even as thousands of drivers and operators remain at risk of losing their livelihoods for failing to comply with the public utility vehicle (PUV) consolidation deadline on Dec. 31.
At a press conference on Friday, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Board Member Mercy Paras-Leynes said the agency sees no impending transport crisis next year.
“Looking at the whole universe of the other modes of transportation, wala pong nakikita ang LTFRB na magiging transportation crisis pagpasok ng 2024,” Paras-Leynes said.
(Looking at the whole universe of other modes of transportation, the LTFRB does not expect a major transportation crisis in 2024.)
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista is standing firm that the Dec. 31 deadline for individual PUV operators to consolidate remains, despite a petition filed by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and affiliate groups before the Supreme Court asking for a temporary restraining order (TRO).
According to LTFRB data, 73.5% or 31,058 traditional jeepneys in Metro Manila have yet to be consolidated or submit applications for consolidation as part of the PUV Modernization Program.
Likewise, 66% of jeepneys in Calabarzon were non-compliant, and 63% in Zamboanga Peninsula.
As for the nationwide data, 30% of jeepney units have yet to comply with the consolidation deadline.
To recall, the LTFRB issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-51, which effectively revokes the permits or Provisional Authorities (PAs) issued to individual operators in all routes without consolidated Transport Service Entity (TSE), effective Jan. 1, 2024.
The agency later issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-052, which allowed individual operators in routes without consolidated TSEs to operate until Jan. 31, 2024.
The leeway, however, does not give them more time to consolidate as the latest circular reiterated that unconsolidated individual operators who failed to file application for consolidation before the deadline shall no longer be allowed to organize into a juridical entity or join existing consolidated TSEs.
“There are still other modes of public transport in Metro Manila. We are talking of buses, other modes like taxis, TNVS that could also accommodate public demand…. We could meet the public demand for public transport come January,” LTFRB-National Capital Region Regional Director Zona Tamayo.
For his part, Office of Transportation Cooperatives Chairman Jesus Ferdinand “Andy” Ortega said that the gap would still be felt by commuters.
“‘Yung difference, medyo sasaluhin muna ng ating passengers. And we know that, kaya rest assured, pabibilisin namin… para eventually, we would not feel the difference for a very long time,” Ortega said, referring to the issuance of special permits.
(The difference would be felt initially by our passengers. And we know that, so rest assured, we will expedite the process… so eventually, we would not feel the difference for a very long time.)
In its Memorandum Circular No. 2023-052, the LTFRB said it may issue special permits to operate on routes without consolidated TSE, which shall be valid for three months after Jan. 31, 2024 to other consolidated TSEs. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
