Return of traditional public utility jeepneys  still possible – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Traditional public utility jeepneys may be allowed back in the streets –  if it is proven that other means of transportation can no longer sufficiently serve the needs of commuters, Malacañang said Monday.

“Sila yung nasa baba ng hierarchy, kinakailangan natin masigurado na hindi sapat ang mga bus, ang mga modern jeepneys at ang mga UV express,” Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said during an online briefing.

(Traditional jeepneys are at the bottom of the hierarchy. We need to ensure that buses, modern jeepneys and UV express are no longer enough.)

“‘Pag di po sapat yan, kasama dyan ang mga taxi at TNVS [transport network vehicle services], e baka pupuwede naman silang payagan. Ang basehan ng desisyon ng ating gobyerno ay yung mananakay, kung talagang meron silang masasakyan.

(If those are not enough, including the taxis and TNVS, maybe we could allow them to resume operations. The basis of our government’s decision is whether the commuting public have means of transportation.)

Some 300 modern jeepneys covering 15 routes resumed operations in Metro Manila on Monday as the Department of Transportation entered in its second phase of public transport revival.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said the resumption of UV Express operations in Metro Manila will likely be allowed within the month.

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