Over 30,000 PUVs in Central Luzon beat deadline, says group

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — At least 30,750 public utility vehicles (PUVs), including jeepneys, school services and Grab cars, operating in Central Luzon provinces have met the Dec. 31, 2023, deadline to consolidate as a group or cooperative from individual franchises, a transport group leader said on Tuesday.

Danilo Yumul, president of Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator sa Pilipinas, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said his group reached a “99-percent” compliance in consolidation application among their members nationwide.

Year-end queue

However, he did not say how many drivers and operators are part of their group.

Queues at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional office at the Diosdado P. Macapagal Government Center in Barangay Maimpis in this provincial capital of Pampanga spilled to MacArthur Highway until 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, local drivers reported.

According to Yumul, around 500 drivers plying the Angeles City-Mabalacat City route are still working on their consolidation on Tuesday.

Several drivers in this route who are aligned with the group Manibela are able to mount protests from time to time.

In the Bicol region, LTFRB regional director Joel Defeo said the consolidation process was between 70 and 80 percent complete, although he did not cite figures.

Bicol situation

Defeo, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said PUV drivers and operators in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Masbate were falling behind in the processing of their documents for consolidation.

“We will be very strict in the enforcement. So those who are not able to consolidate, automatic, they can’t operate,” he said.

According to Defeo, his agency has prepared contingency plans so commuters will not be inconvenienced in case public transport will be disrupted due to the impact of the government’s PUV modernization program.

—REPORTS FROM TONETTE OREJAS AND MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN