MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has extended the deadline for jeepney consolidation until April 30, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced Wednesday.
“This extension is to give an opportunity to those who expressed intention to consolidate but did not make the previous cut-off,” the PCO said in a statement.
According to the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), 190,000 public utility vehicles—including buses, minibusses, UV Express, and PUJs—have already consolidated.
As of mid-January, 86 percent of bus drivers and operators have already consolidated, followed by UV Express with 82 percent, jeepneys with 75 percent, and mini-buses with 45 percent total consolidation, the LTFRB said in its data.
Since the government began implementing the modernization initiative in 2017, 1,728 corporations and cooperatives with 262,344 members have been established.
The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program has been put into motion to handle the nation’s future transportation needs as well as the issues related to transportation that are becoming worse.
However, various groups have called on the government to stop the looming modernization program, as approximately 140,000 drivers and 60,000 small operators are expected to be displaced by the initiative.
Under the original deadline, unconsolidated jeepneys will no longer be allowed to operate starting February 1 – leading to the possible loss of jeepney drivers to over 500 routes in Metro Manila.
‘Collective action works’
Meanwhile, transport group PISTON has welcomed the extension of jeepney consolidation; however, it said that the deadline extension is “not enough,” adding that the group will “continue mobilizing” until the proposed initiative is repealed and until a “progressive public mass transport system is in place.
“Thousands of jeepney drivers and operators, as well as millions of commuters, gained a partial victory. Our relentless collective action and determination to defend our public transport have compelled the Marcos regime to extend the deadline for franchise consolidation to April 30,” said PISTON National President Mody Floranda in a statement sent to reporters.
