TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) -- Transport cooperatives in the Cagayan Valley Region have already submitted combined their franchises to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for consolidation under the governments Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. 

Geraldine Callangan, chief transport development officer of LTFRB, said while others are still in the consolidation process, there are already 12 cooperatives in Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, and Cagayan provinces that have completed their local public transport route plan and have successfully modernized their units.

She said the Ilagan Public Utility Transport Cooperative in the City of Ilagan, Isabela was the pioneer group to introduce modernized jeepneys with 58 vehicle already plying  nine approved routes. 

Aside from this, there were also four other cooperatives in Isabela with approved routes including the San Agustin Van Transport Service Cooperative, the Southern Isabela Transport Cooperative, the Far East Van Transport Cooperative, and the First Isabela Bus and Van Operators Transport Cooperative, all with 33 units plying around Isabela area.

The province of Nueva Vizcaya has the most number of cooperatives that have already shifted into modernized vehicles. These include the First Novo Vizcayano Travelers Trans Co with seven units, the Kasibu Transport Cooperative with 16 units, the Belance Transport Cooperative with six units, the Vizcaya-Santiago-Cordon Transport Cooperative with five units, the Santiago-Cordon Transport Cooperative with 15 units, and the Ifugao Transport Service Cooperative with 10 units. 

In Cagayan, the Tuao Builders Transport Cooperative with six units has successfully launched its modernized jeepney. Recently.

Callangan said, that to help the cooperatives, the government offered an equity subsidy of P260,000 per unit for government financing and P360,000 for private financing to those who are interested in taking a loan. 

She also explained that aside from the objective of the government to make public transport aligned with global standards by providing Filipinos with a transport system that is safe, reliable, convenient, and environmentally sustainable, the modernization program will also benefit the individuals who are involved and dependent on the operation of the public transport vehicles.

"Since these are cooperatives, their drivers, conductors, and maintenance staff will have a fixed income," Callangan said.

She further explained that modernized vehicles are equipped with a global positioning system, allowing real-time tracking of the vehicle's movement on its route. 

"We are genuinely progressing towards modernization, albeit gradually. Additionally, with this program, an automated fare collection system ensures swift fare transactions," Callangan added. (OTB/MJ/PIA Region 2)