MALAYBALAY CITY — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-10 took a significant step forward in modernizing the transportation system by introducing 15 modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the first fleet of the trendy transport scene in Bukidnon province

As part of the government’s public utility vehicles modernization program (PUVMP), LTFRB-10 Regional Director Aminoden Allan Guro said that the new PUVs have a global positioning system (GPS), closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, televisions, and a cashless fare through the Automatic Fare Collection System server.

“Here in Bukidnon, our decades-old vehicles need to be upgraded so that our passengers can enjoy comfortable, safe, and reliable public transportation. Those dilapidated and old jeeps, which are more than 15 years old—some have even reached 30 years—must be replaced,” Guro said during the PUVMP launching ceremony, on February 23, at the Centennial Stage, Capitol Ground, Malaybalay City.

Modern buses are run by the Bukidnon Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BUKTRAMCO), which has promised to keep service and safety at a high level. These vehicles, each with a seating capacity of 30, will be plying the Quezon-Valencia City-Malaybalay City route. The cooperative has received extensive training and is required to abide by LTFRB’s guidelines and regulations.

Office of Transport Cooperatives Chair Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said soon another group of the same PUVs would arrive to give people a better way to get around that is also more convenient and better for the environment.

“We, in the Office of Transport Cooperative, under DOTr, assure you that this will not be the first modern PUV running here in the province. There will be many more. The program also intends to provide better transportation services to the people to address air pollution and road safety issues. It is one of the government’s priority programs,” he explained.

He stressed that small PUV players could join the Modernization Program as long as they joined together, formed a cooperative or corporation, and met the program’s requirements.

Ortega said that showing off the new buses in Bukidnon is an inspiration, especially for BUKTRAMCO, and a good model for the rest of the country’s provinces.

The DOTr and LTFRB promised to keep helping the province modernize its transportation system. This is in line with the government’s goal of improving public transportation services all over the country. (RLRB/PIA-10/Bukidnon)