The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program is not only aimed at transforming safer and climate-friendly vehicles and industry consolidation but will also help ease traffic congestion.

This was the view shared by Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas president Orlando Marquez Sr. who also urges drivers and operators to support the government's public utility vehicles modernization efforts.

Marquez, who was one of the guests at a Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, pointed out that a series of public consultations had already been provided by the Marcos Administration to lay down the guidelines for the PUVMP implementation.

"Let's start with the consolidation process. It will be followed by the process that paves the way for road rationalization. We really have to follow the rules and regulation set by the government," Marquez said.

Last Friday the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board reported that around 145,721 PUVs or 76 percent of all PUVs operating in fixed routes nationwide are consolidated or have already applied for consolidation.

The LTFRB said the consolidation rate for public utility jeepneys has reached 73.9 percent while UV Express units have reached 82 percent.

Jeepneys have drawn a lot of ire from the government because of their poor maintenance, poor safety record, and little to no recompense for affected passengers if they get into accidents.

Launched in June 2017, the PUVMP sought to provide safer, more efficient, and more strictly regulated means of transport for the riding public. Though commonly associated with jeepneys, the PUVMP covers all modes of road-going 4 to 6-wheeled passenger transport.

As metropolis roads are plied by a wide variety of public transport vehicles, many of which overlap in terms of route, franchise, and service, jeepneys serve a variety of routes.

UV Express vans, on the other hand, which started as point-to-point transport services, have begun operating like jeepneys, sometimes picking up passengers along the way.

Marquez said the PUVMP will solve all these problems along with the traffic congestion.