MANILA — Less than 14,000 or 33.21 percent of jeepneys in Metro Manila have consolidated into cooperatives two days before the Dec. 31 deadline, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Friday.

In a press conference, LTFRB National Capital Region Director Zona Tamayo said this is already an improvement from the 26 percent consolidation rate recorded in November.

Meanwhile, she said consolidated UV Express units are at 3,259 or 44.3 percent.

Combined, they make up 17,152 or only 35 percent of Public Utility Vehicles in NCR.

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This number is expected to grow further as more operators apply for consolidation, but groups like PISTON and Manibela who are opposed to the program say the low numbers point to looming shortage of public transportation options in January.

'NO TRANSPORT CRISIS IN JANUARY'

The Office of Transportation Cooperatives said over a hundred groups have already signed up to form cooperatives to comply with the consolidation requirement.

“This number, for the month of December alone, exceeds already yung buong taon ng 2023 na meron na kaming na-fully accredit na 65 kooperatiba. So, ito na po yung aming ine-expect na tuloy-tuloy yung pumupunta sa amin,” said OTC Chairman Andy Ortega.

This has reinforced the LTFRB’s position that there will be no transportation crisis come January 2024, even in NCR, where 47.3 percent of routes are already being operated by consolidated transport entities, according to the agency.

“In major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, nag-consolidate na ang mga nag-apply ng routes na yun, so we can say that we could meet public demand for public transport come January,” said Tamayo.

Most of the routes where public utility vehicles have yet to consolidate are short-distance routes where other commuting options are available, she said.

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LTFRB'S BACKUP PLAN

As backup, the LTFRB, through Memorandum Circular 2023-052, will be granting special permits to individual or unconsolidated PUV operators to operate until January 31, 2024 but only in routes where less than 60 percent of PUVs have consolidated.

The rest of those who failed to consolidate will no longer be allowed to operate.

“Mare-revoke na po yung kanilang PA (provisional authority), hindi na po mare-renew yung kanilang provisional authority,” said LTFRB Technical Division Chief Joel Bolano.

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After the one-month extension for individual operators, the LTFRB expects to have already issued special permits to consolidated transport entities, so they can ply the affected routes on top of their existing routes.

“Tinitiyak po namin na sapat pa rin yung supply kahit na yung mga nasa adjacent route na consolidated entities ay magserbisyo dun sa mga rutang walang consolidation,” asserted LTFRB Board Member Mercy Leynes.

Other modes of public transportation will also be there to serve the riding public. Although some, like taxis and Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) may be more costly.

Ortega admits that some passengers may have to bear this burden temporarily.

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“Yung difference medyo parang sasaluhin muna ng ating passengers, and we know that, kaya po rest assured pabibilisin namin (yung pagbibigay ng special permit) para eventually, we will not feel that difference for a very long time,” he said.

But Leynes noted that there are also less expensive options available.

“Not necessarily higher pamasahe. Kung halimbawang ayaw naman nilang mag-taxi, meron at merong jeep na galing sa ibang ruta na dadaan dun o city bus route or perhaps other modes like the railways,” she said.

The LTFRB said it is still in the process of collating the consolidation figures from all over the country as they come in. As per the Department of Transportation’s last update, the nationwide PUV consolidation rate was at 70 percent.