Ilocos Region Achieves 75% Compliance in Jeepney Modernization Program

Ilocos Region – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has announced that approximately 75.56 percent of public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators in the Ilocos Region have successfully transitioned into cooperatives or corporations. The news was shared by Mark Anthony Espenilla, a representative from the LTFRB Ilocos regional office, during a forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Ilocos Region on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the number of compliant stakeholders reached 4,609 out of the total 6,100 operators in the region. “With the consolidation rate, we can see that there is high acceptance of the program in the region,” he stated. This figure does not include applications for consolidation submitted on December 30 and 31, 2023, which were weekends and declared holidays.

Espenilla acknowledged various reasons for non-compliance among other PUJ operators. These include business decisions, conflicts within cooperatives due to factors like high membership fees, and operators’ desire to maintain control over their personal income. He also mentioned concerns over the high cost of modernized jeepneys, but highlighted the availability of financing aids for cooperatives.

Furthermore, Espenilla noted that the Office of the Transport Cooperative has pledged to prioritize the employment of PUV drivers impacted by the non-consolidation of their operators. The PUV modernization program aims to elevate the public transport system in the Philippines to global standards, offering a more dignified, humane, efficient, reliable, convenient, affordable, climate-friendly, and environmentally-sustainable transportation system, ultimately contributing to a more comfortable life for Filipinos.