MODERN JEEPNEYS. The Public Transport Alliance of GenSan, the biggest transport group in General Santos City, receives the initial 15 units of “modern jeepneys” (in photo) it ordered from Hyundai Philippines on Tuesday (Jan. 21, 2020). Each unit costs PHP2.3 million which the group acquired through a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines. (PNA photo by Richelyn Gubalani)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- A transport group here is set to operate an initial 15 units of “modern jeepneys” in major routes in compliance with the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
Robert Cang, president of the Public Transport Alliance of GenSan (PTAG), said Wednesday they are currently waiting for the issuance of a provisional authority from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to operate the new units.
Cang said LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III directed their regional office in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) to fast-track the processing of the provisional authority during the formal turnover of the units from Hyundai Philippines on Tuesday.
“It (provisional authority) will allow us to operate the units pending the formal issuance of their franchises,” he told reporters, adding they also need to secure passenger accident insurance policy as part of the initial requirements.
The 15 Hyundai jeepneys, costing PHP2.3 million each, were the first of the 321 units that PTAG is working to acquire for its seven member-cooperatives through a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
The city government helped facilitate the processing of the loans of the transport cooperatives with the DBP.
Cang said the initial units will be operated by the Lagao Drivers Operators Transport Cooperative, which he also heads.
He said the “bus-like” jeepneys are Euro 4-compliant or have low carbon emission, a requirement under the Clean Air Act. Each unit, which has a capacity of 22 passengers, is fully air-conditioned and equipped with closed circuit television cameras, he said.
Cang said they will use prepaid “tap cards” for the fare, which is set at PHP10 for the first four kilometers and an additional PHP2 for every succeeding kilometer.
“These are all fully compliant with the provisions of the PUVMP,” he said, adding they expect the arrival of more units in the next few weeks so they can fully operate the 14 approved routes in the city under its Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
The city was the first local government unit in the country that completed its LTPRP in June 2018, a year after the launching of the PUVMP.
Delgra, who also graced the first-ever Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association Summit here on Wednesday, lauded PTAG and the city government’s efforts to fast-track the modernization of the area’s public transport system.
Based on the ongoing developments, he said the city is already on track towards the full implementation of the PUVMP.
“I’m urging other LGUs to look at GenSan’s experience and replicate what it has been doing in terms of the modernization and rationalization of its public transport system,” he said. (PNA)
