LTFRB reopens over 100 pre-pandemic PUV routes

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday announced the reopening of over 100 pre-pandemic routes for non-EDSA city buses, jeepneys, and UV Express all over Metro Manila to augment the public transportation supply in anticipation of the reopening of face-to-face classes on Monday, August 22.

At a virtual press briefing, LTFRB chairperson Cheloy Garafil said the agency issued twin memorandum circulars (MC), namely MC No. 2022-067 and MC No. 2022-068, opening a total of “133 routes, involving 11,000 vehicles.”

Garafil said under the MC No. 2022-067 or the guidelines for the resumption of operations of non-EDSA city bus routes, the LTFRB will open 33 city bus routes.

“Yung isang MC naman, MC No. 2022-068 setting the resumption of operations of traditional PUJs (public utility jeepneys), modernized PUJs, and Utility Vehicle (UV) Express service. Dito naman nag-open tayo ng 68 na pre-pandemic routes ng ating mga jeepneys, 32 [routes] naman for UV Express all over NCR (National Capital Region),” she said.

(Meanwhile, under MC No. 2022-068 setting the resumption of operations of traditional PUJs, modernized PUJs, and Utility Vehicle Express service, we opened 68 pre-pandemic routes of jeepneys and 32 routes for UV Express all over NCR.)

“We are confident that these routes will be enough. For the city bus routes, it’s 90% of the pre-pandemic coverage, while for jeepneys, it’s around 70%,” Garafil said.

“We want to beat the opening of classes on Monday, so we are issuing special permits. Once the situation normalizes, we will issue franchises,” she said.

The circulars cover those with valid, expired, or pending for issuance certificates of public convenience (CPC), provisional authority, or special permits.

Garafil said those who will apply for a special permit will only have to wait for two days for the issuance.

“Tomorrow, they will start accepting applications," she said, adding that the LTFRB will be open on weekends to accept applications.—LDF, GMA News