AN OFFICIAL of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) XI announced that non-compliant operators are given a 15-day period to consolidate their units.
The deadline for the application of consolidation was set on Dec. 31, 2023, however, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the recommendation of the Department of Transportation to extend the deadline to April 30.
The president announced on April 10, the April 30 deadline will be the last extension.
“If we are going to base from the declaration from the central office, after the deadline, their franchise is already revoked, however, instead of apprehending non-compliant operators, a 15-day leeway is provided,” LTFRB XI regional director Nonito Llanos said on Friday, May 3.
Llanos added the operators are allowed only 15 days to operate after the deadline and operating after the leeway will be tagged “colorum.”
Units tagged colorum are subject to impoundment and drivers will be penalized.
“Within the next 15 days maghinay-hinay na og wrap-up and transition ang atong mga individual operators,” he said.
The regional director reported 629 or 86% out of the 733 PUJs in the region have consolidated, while 549 van units, or 93% out of the 592 have already formed into cooperatives.
He clarified Davao City is excluded from the April 30 consolidation deadline due to the Davao Public Transport Modernization Program (DPTMP), or the Davao Bus Project.
He added the remaining PUJs and PUVs in the city will be given provisional authority effective until the bus project is operational.
Out of 62 total jeepney routes outside the city, 52 or 84% were consolidated, while a 100 percent completion for the 22 UV routes.
At present, there are 73 modernized units operational in the region.
The consolidation requires PUV operators to form cooperatives or corporations to avail of financial assistance to acquire modernized jeepney units, as part of the PUV modernization program.
Progressive group Kilusang Mayo Uno- Southern Mindanao Region stood strong in their fight against the Davao bus project during a rally held Wednesday, May 1 Labor Day.
“It would only add to the already burdensome situation of the riding public as it definitely raises the transportation cost in Davao City,” it said.
