{"id":124204,"date":"2017-10-16T05:40:04","date_gmt":"2017-10-16T09:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=124204"},"modified":"2017-10-16T05:40:04","modified_gmt":"2017-10-16T09:40:04","slug":"govt-remains-committed-to-puv-modernization-program-palace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2017\/10\/16\/govt-remains-committed-to-puv-modernization-program-palace\/","title":{"rendered":"Gov’t remains committed to PUV Modernization Program\u2014Palace"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The government vowed to continue its cooperation with members of the public transport sector. (PCOO photo)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amid the protest against President Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s plan to phase out PUVs aged 15 years and older, the government is still committed in the actualization of the \u2018Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVVMP)\u2019, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Administration remains committed to the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVVMP), which is long overdue,\u201d\u00a0 Abella said in a statement.<\/p>\n

“There were several attempts in the past to modernize the public transport system but these have been thwarted due to similar transport strikes, which unfortunately resulted in an outdated public transport system,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

PUV modernization program is mandated by the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The program intends to achieve “safe and comfortable transport, predictable travel time, disciplined and competent drivers, and fair regulations.”<\/p>\n

The enactment of the program will force PUV drivers and operators to replace their units to\u00a0\u00a0Euro 4 engines or electrically-powered engines with solar panels for roofs.<\/p>\n

Several drivers and operators\u00a0said that the program is \u201canti-poor\u201d given that replacement of PUVs will cost them P1 million per unit.<\/p>\n

Transport groups such as the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng\u00a0mga\u00a0Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) and Stop and Go Coalition on Monday united in a two-day nationwide strike to oppose PUVVMP.<\/p>\n

Abella said that the government is ready and prepared as it has laid out contingency measures to assist commuters affected by transport strike.<\/p>\n

According to Abella, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have engaged 35 city buses in Metro Manila.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is in addition to the 4 military trucks, 4 buses, 4 vans and 4 service vehicles provided by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA); 15 military trucks by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); 12 light trucks and 4 military trucks by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); 6 shuttles and I service vehicle by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),\u201d Abella said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, six (6) designated areas have been identified by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for free rides.\u00a0 These pickup points\u00a0include:\u00a0Commonwealth Avenue, Luneta Grandstand, Orense Guadalupe, SM Marikina, MCU and HK Plaza,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Amidst PUV drivers and operators mass action, the government vowed to continue its cooperation with members of the public transport sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the LTFRB, will continue with the discussions, consultations, and further collaboration with members of the public transport sector, particularly in explaining the financial scheme available to PUJ operators and drivers who wish to avail of new units through\u00a0financing\u00a0of government financial institutions,\u201d Abella added.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amid the protest against President Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s plan to phase out PUVs aged 15 years and older, the government is …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":124211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1482,1145,95],"tags":[11223,15555,27298],"class_list":["post-124204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking","category-headline","category-news-ph","tag-duterte-administration","tag-presidential-spokesperson-ernesto-abella","tag-puv-modernization-program","mauthors-michealina-vallarta-david","mauthors-philippine-canadian-inquirer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}