THE Office of the Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) assured that the modernization program for public utility vehicles (PUVs) will create more jobs and employment once it will be implemented in the country.

OTC board secretary and focal person Ramil Henderson Urrera said Thursday, March 21, that transport cooperatives will enagage in other transport-related businesses where members and their immediate families will be employed.

"Since the cooperatives will be engaged in fleet operation or management, it will require them to recruit additional manpower," Urrera said.

Urrera said they will be needing safety officers, mechanics, assistance officers, IT specialist, and more admininstrative support staff in the inventory, security, among others.

He said cooperatives can also amend their articles and by laws to become transport service and multi-purpose cooperatives so that they can engage in other businesses not related to transportation.

"The vehicle manufacturing industry will also generate additional jobs due to the huge demand for modernized vehicles," Urrera said.

During the Mindanao Transportation Cooperatives Congress on March 20 at the SM Convention Center, Lanang, a total of 85 accredited transport cooperatives from Mindanao attended the event.

Urrera said Davao City was chosen as the venue of the congress as they target the city government and its cooperatives to implement PUV modernization and provide a better transport system to its communities.

Out of 811 accredited cooperatives of OTC nationwide, four from Luzon already implemented PUVMP and more are showing interest.