Guess how many jeepneys have been modernized so far

Examples of modernized jeepneys. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

THE government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), launched in 2017, targets to replace the estimated 170,000 jeepneys in the country with cleaner, safer and better-equipped models by June 30, 2020.

To date, only around 4,000 modernized jeepneys are operating.

Because of this, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) technical division chief Joel Bolano, according to a report posted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday, urged jeepney operators and drivers to form cooperatives or corporations to ease their financial burden in modernizing their jeepneys and make route rationalization easier.

The report quoted the official as saying in a news conference that jeepney drivers plying existing routes should start consolidating now before route rationalization is implemented.

“Ang queue lang po nito ay for those existing operators ng cooperative o corporation para makapag-forward na sila sa pagpalit ng mga bagong modernized na jeep (The only queue here is for those existing operators of cooperatives or corporations so they could move forward in replacing [their old jeepneys] with modernized jeepneys),” Bolano was quoted as saying.

The lack of supply is also a challenge to the PUVMP, according to another official of the transport agency.

The report quoted LTFRB board member Ronald Corpuz as saying in the same news conference that there is a shortage of modernized jeepneys sold in the market.

“Minsan ang nangyayari, hindi demand-based, hindi forecast-based ‘yung pag-produce ng unit, parang nakabase siya sa doon sa pag nag-order ka lang. Ang supplier, may limit din ‘yan, may financial limit ‘yan. Ang mangyayari, kung hindi ka mag-o-order, hindi gagawin ang unit (Sometimes, what happens is that production of the modernized jeepneys is not demand- or forecast-based, but rather on how many orders come in. Suppliers have a financial limit. If there are no orders, they won’t produce),” Corpuz said.

Corpuz noted the government aims to rid the country’s roads of smoke-belching jeepneys and dilapidated vehicles by 2020.