The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has reopened the government’s consolidation program to public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers, effectively allowing them to join existing cooperatives or form their own, to operate in routes with existing similar entities through the issuance of Department Order (DO) No. 2025-009.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that the government will push through with the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), stressing the potential benefits of service-oriented public transport by ensuring the safety of commuters without compromising the livelihood of drivers and other transport workers.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said that the DO also prioritizes alleviating the financial burden of individual operators and struggling cooperatives in paying loans to banks due to the high cost of modernized units, and other fees for registration and consolidation.
“Kailangan natin tulungan yung mga nag-modernisa na at sumama na sa programa.”
“Kailangan natin tulungan yung mga nag-modernisa na at sumama na sa programa. Sila ang priority natin, kailangan natin bigyan sila ng reprieve para hindi na sila malugi,” Dizon said.
“Ang importante lang po ay mabigyan ng opportunity na makabalik at makabiyahe ng legal itong ating mga operator na hindi nakasama sa consolidation,” the transport chief added.
The transport head also said the adjustment to the PTMP initiative will allow operators and drivers to join or form new cooperatives in areas with existing routes.
“’Yun ang option ngayon ng mga hindi nakapasok noong April 2024—they can either join an existing consolidated cooperative or they can form their own pero para sa mga below 60% sa mga ruta na hindi pa ganun karami ang buma-biyahe, pwede silang pumasok dun,” he explained.
Old jeepney units, Dizon said, will be subjected to road worthiness checks for passenger safety.
“Kailangan siguraduhin na safety ang paramount concern natin.”
“Kailangan siguraduhin na safety ang paramount concern natin,” he said.
Under the DO, PUV operators and drivers who failed to form cooperatives as well as those with pending application for consolidation will be covered by the order signed by Dizon last May 6.
“PUJ and UVE operators covered by this DO shall be allowed to join existing consolidated transport service entities (TSEs) in routes with 60% and above consolidation [rate], subject to the conformity of the said TSEs,” the DO read.
“Covered PUJ and UVE Operators may be allowed to consolidate (form a new TSE or join an existing TSE) in routes with less than 60% consolidation, provided that they were previously granted authority to operate on the said routes,” it added.
Meanwhile, unconsolidated operators may be allowed to operate in existing and rationalized routes without consolidated TSEs, pending the implementation of the transfer plan.
