MANILA – The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) will provide a P1.5-billion finance facility for the initial implementation of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is set to sign on Monday, September 11, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DBP Chairman Alberto Romulo to jumpstart the realization of the PUVMP, which does not only aim to modernize PUV operations in the country, but also to professionalize the public road transport sector.
To help government implement the PUVMP, DBP developed the Program Assistance to Support Alternative Driving Approaches (PASADA), which will offer responsive and reasonable financing for transport corporations and cooperatives to allow them to acquire new and passenger-safe PUVs.
The DBP shall also assist the DOTr in the design, development and implementation of an automatic fare collection system (AFCS) for the public road transport sector.
Under the MOU, the DBP shall advise and assist the DOTr in developing a financing program for the PUVMP. It shall also make available loans to finance the acquisition of new PUVs to qualified prospective borrowers.
Transport cooperatives and corporations, registered with the Office of the Transport Cooperatives, may avail themselves of the DBP PASADA and participate in the pilot phase of the program, which will finance purchase of public utility jeepneys, buses, mini buses, and utility vehicle express units.
Loan proceeds may also be used for the acquisition or construction or support facilities like off-street garage/terminal and purchase of equipment needed for the proper operations and maintenance of the PUVs.
The DOTr under Tugade’s leadership launched the PUVMP to help the public road transport sector to transition to a high-quality public transport system with greater capacity, environment-friendly low carbon emissions, and efficient operations via modernization of vehicles.
