THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) will implement a two-week service contracting program for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators starting April 15, 2026.
DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the National Government allocated P1 billion for the program, with P800 million for road transport and P200 million for maritime transport.
Under the program, the DOTr will pay bus operators and drivers P100 per kilometer.
Modern jeepney and UV Express operators will receive P40 per kilometer, while traditional jeepney operators will receive P30 per kilometer.
Passengers will receive a 20 percent discount on top of the existing 20 percent discount for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and students. Lopez said the agency will release a new fare matrix on Saturday, April 11.
Lopez said the program benefits 1,000 transport operators, 50,000 PUV units, and 15 million daily passengers. The initiative covers 823 routes nationwide, including 545 routes in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal that connect to railways.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7, Land Transportation Office, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will monitor the implementation through global positioning system (GPS) or manual tracking.
Lopez said the agency is coordinating with GPS providers to offer devices at a lower price of P500 monthly for PUV operators. The service contracting program will cover this cost.
Lopez encouraged drivers and operators to acquire GPS units to ensure faster payouts.
“We have to be within three to five days, every week po ‘yun, pagkatapos kailangan bayaran talaga. ‘Pag hindi naka-GPS, baka-maantala po kahit papano ‘yung babayaran kasi ‘yung validation, counter validation, and verification, ‘yung bilang po per kilometer,” he said.
Lopez said the DOTr is seeking an additional P5 billion to extend the program due to rising fuel prices. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)