Leading truck body builder Centro Manufacturing Corporation yesterday threw its full support behind the nationwide Modern PUV Caravan initiated by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Centro president Raffy Juan commended the efforts of the two agencies to bring the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP) down to the grassroots level. “With the truck platform suppliers as our partners, we will provide the vehicle solutions to the PUVMP by having available all versions of the modern PUV from Class 1 to 4. These will be showcased during the one-day stops of the caravan in 32 major cities of the country during the next few months.”
The DOTr and LTFRB launched the nationwide Modern PUV Caravan 2019 last July 4, 2019 that it has dubbed as “Modern PUV: Arangkada ng Pagbabago Tungo sa Kaunlaran.” The caravan launch at SM Clark Pampanga coincided with the simultaneous nationwide launching by the LTFRB of the new routes for the modern PUV.
The modern PUV units in the caravan will be equipped with the required gadgets such as the automated fare collection system and will be exhibited nationwide for one day each in some 32 cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The caravan schedule will be broken down into four phases and will cover the period from July 2019 to January 2020.
Phase 1 will cover 10 cities in Luzon north of Metro Manila from July to August, Phase 2 will cover nine cities in Luzon south of Metro Manila from September to October, Phase 3 will island-hop six cities in the Visayas in November and Phase 4 will go through seven cities in Mindanao in January 2020.
DOTr Usec. for Land Transportation and Infrastructure Mark de Leon says that the PUVMP is probably the biggest non-infrastructure program of the Duterte administration. “We are happy that in this endeavor, we have the full support of the stakeholders involved like the Truck Manufacturers Association; Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc.; Association of Automotive Importers and Distributors; Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines; Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines; Philippine Parts Maker Association; and the gadget suppliers”.
He adds that aside from the LTFRB, also part of the caravan from the public sector are the Land Transportation Office, Office of Transportation Cooperatives and the lending institutions Land Bank, and the Development Bank of the Philippines.
LTFRB Chairman Atty. Martin Delgra III reveals that the Caravan will introduce the modern PUV to potential PUVMP participants outside of Metro Manila. “They are not fully aware of the provisions of the PUVMP, have not seen what a modern PUV looks like, what brands and models are available, what gadgets are required, how to avail of the subsidy and bank loans and even how to form and register a transport cooperative. These concerns we will address though the caravan as we go on one-day stops in each city visited. More so, the millions of commuters across the country will appreciate up close and personal the modern, safe, environment-friendly and convenient modern PUVs under the PUVMP.”
Delgra explains that the demo units of the modern PUV are powered by either Euro 4-compliant engines or electric motors and are fully compliant with the PNS standards for body dimensions of the Bureau of Philippine Standards. Usec. de Leon states that the Caravan will shift into high gear the implementation of the much-awaited PUVMP. “This is the much-needed shot in the arm that the PUVMP needs. Since we will bring to the caravan site the transport corporations and cooperatives that will participate in the PUVMP, we expect the caravan to be able to address any issues or concerns that they may have. This will then result in opening the floodgates for the shift from the old traditional PUJs to the upgraded modern PUV outside of Metro Manila”