PH body manufacturers eyes PUV modernization program reimplementation

MANILA: The Automotive Body Manufacturers of the Philippines (ABMAP) has urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to re-implement, or rather, continue the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP). The aforementioned was detailed by a statement from ABMAP Executive Director Edgar Manuel to DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez. 

To note, the PTMP aims to transform the public transport network into a safer, more efficient, and more modern system for the benefit of commuters. This was introduced back in 2017, with a 2020 target for phasing out jeepneys, buses, and other public utility vehicles that are at least 15 years old. 

As of 2025, the PTMP has been wracked by numerous setbacks to the point that former DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon has admitted that it is currently “not viable in its present state.” The aforementioned was shared by Dizon during the third regular session of the 19th Congress of the Philippines in June 2025. 

Regardless, the ABMAP said that the PTMP remains a “landmark” initiative that is seen to replace aging and dilapidated jeepneys and public utility vehicles (PUV). On that note, it will upgrade the standard of public transport, which the group says is already evident from the number of modern PUV units already plying the country’s roads. 

“Every Filipino commuter deserves dignity and safety when they ride to work, to school, or back home,” Manuel shared. 

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“Thousands are already experiencing the benefits of modern PUVs, but many more are still enduring long, uncomfortable, and unsafe rides. We cannot delay modernization any longer,” Manuel added. 

Further, the organization said that the PTMP goes beyond just convenience for commuters. Instead, it is a matter of public safety, and it is also an avenue to stimulate local manufacturing businesses. The latter, as ABMAP explained, generates jobs and is supportive of our local mobility ecosystem. 

For its part, ABMAP has expressed its readiness to fully support the PTMP by collaborating with the DOTr and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Specifically, it and its constituents are ready to share technical know-how and even help build effective financial arrangements for operators and cooperatives. 

“The technology, the capability, and the readiness are all here. Local manufacturers stand ready to deliver. Operators are prepared to transition. What the nation needs is for DOTr to take decisive action and bring the PTMP fully back on track,” Manuel said. 

Also read:

DOTr stands firm on PUV modernization program

SC junks petition to nullify PUVMP

LTFRB reminds PUV owners, operators of industry consolidation deadline

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