TINIYAK ng Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) na may sapat na public transport vehicles sa Kalakhang Maynila, base sa 97.18% ng registered units ng public utility jeeps ang nag-consolidate ng kanilang prangkisa sa Metro Manila noong 2023.

Sa press briefing sa Malakanyang ukol sa Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), tinanong ang transport officials kung may sapat na sasakyan na magseserbisyo sa publiko matapos na mahigit sa 70% ng transport franchise ang nag-consolidate sa buong bansa.

“I’d like to go beyond po doon 70-30 percent, because we have to consider if iyong 70 percent would already be sufficient—I’m speaking for NCR (National Capital Region) po,” ayon kay LTFRB regional director Zona Russet Tamayo.

“When we map out the routes in NCR majority po ng ating main thoroughfares ay may nag-consolidate or may mag-o-operate na transport, public transport po it’s in other modes perhaps buses, UVs and even jeepneys,” aniya pa rin sabay sabing “Based on the available data, 97.18 percent of the registered units of PUJs for 2023 have actually consolidated in Metro Manila.”

Base naman sa LTFRB route mapping, tinuran ni Tamayo na malakas ang paniniwala ng ahensya na walang magiging problema pagdating sa public transport.

Aniya pa, mayroong contingency plans ang LTFRB sakali’t may umusbong na mga hamon.

Tinuran ni Tamayo na ia-assess nila ang unang bahagi ng Enero kung ang ruta ay nakakuha ng 60% consolidation, mas mababa sa 60% o “no consolidation at all.”

(CHRISTIAN DALE)