The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday announced that it has extended the provisional authority or franchise of 25,000 traditional jeepneys nationwide until April.
The LTFRB likewise extended the deadline for application for the government's Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUV-MP).
In a press release, the agency said the extensions were done to ensure that no PUVs would be left out of the modernization program.
“Hindi namin gustong mayroong maiiwan kaya nais namin na kahit 95% lang ng mga dyip ang maging handa na kapag itinuloy namin ang PUV modernization program,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo 'Jojo' Guadiz III said.
But he noted that they are still deliberating if the planned modernization program would be pursued only in several particular areas.
“Sa meeting, pag-uusapan din namin kung may mga area na talagang fully-modernized na, baka doon ilatag na namin nang tuluyan iyong full modernization (program). But on areas na kulang-kulang pa o wala pang modernized jeepney, we will still stick to the traditional jeepney,” Guadiz said.
According to the latest data from the LTFRB, only 60 percent of the PUVs have undergone the modernization program while it awaits the remaining 40 percent.
This is the fourth time that the LTFRB has extended the franchises of traditional jeepneys.
Earlier, the agency announced that the validity of the franchise of traditional jeepneys nationwide would expire by the end of March 2023.
Transport group Manibela earlier aired its opposition to LTFRB's PUV modernization program.
