Members of MANIBELA, led by Chairman Mar Valbuena, hold a picket rally outside the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City on March 13, 2024, to follow up on the graft cases the group filed against DOTr Sec. Jaime J. Bautista and LTFRB Administrator Teofilo Guadiz III. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said they expect 10,000 more operators and jeepney drivers to enroll themselves for consolidation.

This, after the LTFRB reopened the application for jeepney divers to join the government's Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) last October 15.

"NAsa 83.5% na po ang nagpa-consolidate. So of the 190,000 (jeepneys) about 160,000 plus ang na ang nagpa-consolidate," said LTFRB chairman Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III in an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo on Sunday. "We expect about 10,000 pa ang magpaconsolidate."

'One last chance': LTFRB to reopen PUV consolidation anew until November 29

Guadiz said the deadline for the jeepney consolidation is on November 29. The LTFRB chief asserted they no longer plan to extend the deadline further than that.

"Hanggang November 29 naman po ang deadline. Ang kelangan lang po sa deadline ay i-signify o i-enroll lang po na ikaw ay sumasama sa programa ng gobyenro. Pagka nakapag-enroll ka na po, it's only about one day,  ay supisyente na po iyon para mai-enroll sa programa mabigyan ka ng prangkisa, mabigyan ka ng fuel subsidy at mabigyan ka ng pera para sa service ng libreng sakay," said the transport executive.

Guadiz clarified that the program does not require operators and drivers to purchase a brand new jeepney.

"Hindi naman namin nire-require na bumili kayo ng bagong sasakyan. Ang unang aspeto ng ating consolidation is yung pagsasanib ng sasakyan sa isang ruta para mayroon tayong tinatawag na monitoring ng mga ruta sa isang area to maximize 'yung results," he said.

He also addressed some of the issues being raised by opposing transport groups regarding the "failure" of the consolidation program.

"'Yung sinasabing lumaki ang utang (ng ilang jeepney driver) then nahirapang  magbayad, meron kaming mga ganyang kaso," admitted Guadiz.

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"Ito yung mga unang, unang administrasyon pa umutang... pero sila po ay tinutulungan namin ngayon sa pakikipagusap sa Landbank sa pagbibigay ng pondo sa kanila through the government program na fuel subsidy at saka yung librang sakay po. Dun sa mga hirap magbayad, doon namin unang ibinibigay."

The LTFRB has decided to reopen the application period upon the persuasion of the Senate.

"Sa unang programa amin wala na po kaming balak magextend, pero sa pakiusap ng Senado nagbigay kami ng window time para po yung mga hindi nakasama ay makapagtake advantage a programa ng gobyerno... pero for a very limited time only, until November 29," he said.

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