OVERTIME. An employee of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Central Visayas in Cebu City processes consolidated franchise documents in this undated photo. The agency expects a surge in applicants for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program until the April 30, 2024 deadline, thus the extended work hours on two Saturdays (April 13 and 27). (Photo courtesy of LTFRB-7)
CEBU CITY – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) office here accepted applications for consolidation on Saturday and again on April 27.
LTFRB-7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said he ordered the additional working days in anticipation of more public utility jeepney (PUJ) owners processing their consolidation franchises after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s announcement that there will be no more extension after the April 30 deadline.
PUJs without at least an application for consolidation will not be allowed to ply their routes anymore after April 30 under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“This is a national directive to give chances to individual operators to join the industry consolidation,” Montealto told the Philippine News Agency.
Montealto said 8,580 units of PUJs consolidated into cooperatives or corporations as of the first cutoff on Dec. 31, 2023.
As of January this year, the consolidation rate in Central Visayas is at 78 percent from 56 percent in October 2023. (PNA)
