MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of the return to schools in November, the Department of Transportation will be looking at the "compliance" of public utility vehicles as one solution to the lack of transport supply on Metro Manila's roads.
In a statement sent to reporters, the Department of Transportation said its secretary Jaime Bautista convened government agencies to thresh out issues faced by the transport sector in preparation for face-to-face classes in August.
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The DOTr Road Sector said that it recommended "improving compliance to Service Plans, particularly peak hour deployment at 90 to 100 percent of PUVs authorized."
However, the overall supply and deployment of PUV units, particularly those under service contracts, has long been hampered by the fuel crisis along with the historically sluggish rollout of fuel subsidies and payouts for Libreng Sakay.
Groups representing bus and jeepney drivers say these principal obstacles have hampered the transport sector for years and only indirectly add to the commuter crisis faced by Filipinos today.
The DOTr Road Sector also recommended, "opening of additional routes as may be deemed necessary, including the reinstatement of pre-pandemic city bus routes, particularly routes not traversing EDSA and fast-tracking of fare review and evaluation of non-operational routes, and introducing] developmental routes."
This recommendation is a good sign: At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the DOTr suspended all modes of public transport. Since the reopening of the economy, the LTFRB had been slowly authorizing the opening of routes and issuing permits to allow the operations of a number of public utility vehicles.
Commuter groups campaigned for the immediate release of all PUVs, specifically the traditional jeepneys, which were last to be allowed to operate.
The DOTr Road Sector also recommended offering Libreng Sakay for students on rail lines and EDSA Busway and extending the life span of school services that have reached the 15-year maximum limit by December 2022 for another two years.
But Bautista has said that Libreng Sakay would require additional funding after the last administration forewent millions in revenue just to offer commuters free rides, which transport groups like the Move as One coalition say was only a bandaid solution to the Metro's complex transport woes.
Other agencies
At a discussion with Vice President Sara Duterte, concurrently education secretary, Bautista said that inter-agency cooperation will be vital to provide students ample supply of transportation, while also ensuring their safety amid the threat of COVID-19.
Ultimately, though, it is yet unclear if these recommendations will be approved. The DOTr outlined the proposals in its statement to the media but stopped short of Bautista's assessment.
DOTr Undersecretary for Road and Transport Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor went on to claim that available transportation should be "sufficient...provided that operators deploy 90% of their PUV units."
“Supply isn't our only concern but also the students’ safety,” Pastor said as he acknowledged "the increase in passenger demand."
The Metro Manila Development Authority, for its part, said it would deploy 2,238 personnel along major roads and within high-density schools in Metro Manila with 581 traffic enforcers to be dispatched to 148 schools in the National Capital Region for the resumption of classes.
Four MMDA buses and two military trucks are also deployed for free rides to assist the commuting public daily.
The Pasig River Service operated by the MMDA will also offer free rides for commuters from Mondays through Saturdays within its 13 stations.
“We agreed that there is indeed a need for different agencies to meet and discuss problems and possible solutions, which we will encounter when face-to-face classes start in August,” Bautista said.
“We need to work together to provide an accessible, affordable, comfortable, and safe travel experience for the passengers, especially the students."