Gov't Aid Keeps Iloilo Transport Coop's Full Fleet Operational Amid Fuel Price Surge

ILOILO CITY — Government financial assistance is allowing a transport cooperative in Iloilo to deploy all 95 of its modernized jeepneys despite rising fuel costs, the transport group’s chairperson said Wednesday. Raymundo “Boyet” Parcon, chairperson of the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC), said the cooperative expects to receive the P20,000 monthly assistance per unit from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). Parcon said the subsidy is a big help for the cooperative’s members, who are drivers, as it eases the impact of the increase in fuel costs on their income. “We can operate our units with the subsidy,” he said. He added that the subsidy is also a way to help drivers cope with the increase in fuel costs. “We are grateful for the subsidy,” he said. The modernization of jeepneys in the Philippines is part of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), which aims to replace old and dilapidated jeepneys with newer, more environment-friendly, and safer models. However, the program has faced challenges, including resistance from some transport groups who cited the high cost of modernized jeepneys and the lack of financial support for drivers. The LTFRB’s fuel subsidy program is one of the government’s initiatives to address these concerns and ensure the smooth implementation of the PUVMP.