DOTr chief forms special panel to iron out PUV modernization problems

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon —PHOTO FROM DOTR FB PAGE

MANILA, Philippines—Transportation Secretart Vince Dizon on Monday approved the formation of a special committee to iron out the problems in the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

Dizon signed Special Order No. 2025-152, creating the special committee to review the PTMP, following the clamor from various transport groups.

“Under the special order, Sec. Dizon directed its members to consult with various stakeholders, evaluate and review status and progress, and identify issues as well as concerns of the PTMP,” the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said in a statement.

The committee will be chaired by the DOTr undersecretary for road transport and non-infrastructure and consist of the undersecretary for road transport and infrastructure, assistant secretary for road transport and non-infrastructure, Office of Transportation Cooperatives chairman, and Land Transportation Office assistant secretary.

DOTr said the committee is expected to submit to Dizon its recommendation for the PTMP “next week.”

Dizon said he is still open to making changes to address the concerns of transport groups, including that of transport group Manibela that just concluded its strike due to what they believe as a discrepancy of PTMP data.

READ: Transport modernization still on; Dizon open to changes

As of the November 2024 deadline, the Land Transport Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said 86.23 percent, or 165,334 out of the 191,730 public utility vehicles (PUVs), had applied for consolidation under the PTMP.

Manibela chief Mar Valbuena said the LTFRB’s report on the consolidation data is a “complete lie.”

READ: LTFRB denies it falsified its modernization program data

However, LTFRB spokesperson Ariel Inton clarified that only 43 percent or half of the consolidation is done.

The rest, or 43 percent, are still finishing the process of applying for their consolidation but are nevertheless allowed to operate, according to Inton.