News
LTFRB welcomes PBBM support for PTMP
OUT WITH THE OLD. Modern jeepney units of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas go around Quezon City on Saturday (April 13, 2024). Orlando Marquez, the transport group’s president who guested at the Saturday News Forum in Dapo Restaurant, is batting for the production and purchase of locally made units and for manufacturers to retain the traditional look.
(PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for supporting the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) and rejecting the calls for its suspension.
In a statement Wednesday, LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III said Marcos’ support shows the importance of modernizing the country’s public transportation for increased safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
“I extend my utmost gratitude to [Marcos] for his unwavering support to the PTMP and the LTFRB,” Guadiz said.
He lauded Marcos for his “leadership and vision for a modernized transportation infrastructure.”
“[This is] vital in addressing the evolving needs of our commuters and ensuring a more reliable and eco-friendly public transportation network,” he said.
In an interview Wednesday, Marcos rejected the proposal to suspend the implementation of the PTMP, formerly the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program (PUVMP), as around 80 percent of PUV operators have already complied and expressed support for the program.
“I disagree with them because they said this was rushed. The modernization has been postponed seven times and those that have been objecting or have been crying out and asking for suspension are in the minority,” he said.
Last week, a Senate resolution was filed calling for the temporary suspension of the PTMP due to concerns about its implementation.
Senate Resolution No. 1096 highlighted the protests of drivers and PUV operators who have not joined the PTMP, particularly issues related to consolidation.
