Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9) — It’s now up to the cooperatives and operators on what models of modern jeepneys they will acquire under the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
“Ang nasusunod po sa pagpili at pagbili ng modern jeepneys ay ang mga cooperatives,” said LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III in a statement Tuesday. “The government has ‘no say’ kung ano ang unit na bibilhin nila at kung saang bansa ito manggagaling.”
[Translation: The decision on the model of modern jeepneys to buy lies with the cooperatives. The government has ‘no say’ on what unit they should buy or from which country they should acquire them.]
The PUV modernization program started in 2017 and aims to improve and make the transport sector more environmentally sustainable.
But operators fear they could fall into debt as a unit of modern jeepney costs more than ₱2 million.
Guadiz said cooperatives can acquire modern jeepneys from local or international manufacturers.
“Pwede po sila bumili ng locally made or from Japan, or China, o kahit ano pang bansa,\” he noted. \”Basta ang cooperatives po ang masusunod diyan at hindi ang pamahalaan.\”
[Translation: They can purchase locally made ones or buy from Japan or China, or from any other country. It’s the cooperatives’ decision that will prevail and not the government’s.]
“We also ensure that the primary aspect to consider in shifting to modern jeepneys is the safety and roadworthiness of the new jeepney units so as to provide better service to the commuters,” Guadiz also said.
The Department of Trade and Industry has a list of approved manufacturers that adhere to the Philippine National Standard, but the LTFRB reiterated that cooperatives and operators have the freedom to choose from the said list or not.
The LTFRB added that there are currently 32 models of modern jeepneys plying routes nationwide that were either locally manufactured or locally assembled in the Philippines.
