MANILA — Drivers and operators and their family members affected by the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program can avail of skills training to help them through the transition of the eventual phaseout of traditional jeepneys, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority said Monday.

In a statement, TESDA said it supports the government's transport modernization program but that it also acknowledges that "there are individuals whose livelihood have been or will be affected by this initiative in one way or another."

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The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has required all jeepneys and UV Express franchise holders to consolidate their franchises under a transport corporation or cooperative.

Those who have refused and who service routes where less than 60% of units have met the requirement to consolidate are allowed to operate but only until the end of the month.

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"Under the Tsuper Iskolar program, drivers, operators and their family members who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the PUVMP are entitled to free tech-voc skills training, and assessment and certification," TESDA said, adding qualified beneficiaries can get a trainign allowance of P350/day for a maximum of 35 days.

It said the program has been in place since 2019 and that Tsuper Iskolar had P300 million in funding in 2023.

"We encourage our kababayans to approach any TESDA office to check where they can avail the Tsuper Iskolar program and take this opportunity to learn new skills that will empower them to start a new career or engage in entrepreneurial activities," TESDA also said.

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Transport groups PISTON and Manibela are opposed to the PUV Modernization Program because of the cost of new minibus units, which can go up to as much as P2.5 million each.

They are also wary of the consolidated franchises, saying their members would prefer to retain individual franchises and ownership of units in case the cooperatives fail or are mismanaged.

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