Miltrasco, LTFRB guested by Congressman Siao launches modern jeepneys under the government PUV modernization program

Turnover of Automated fare collection device (AFCD) 

and Power card

By Jun Enriquez 

Iligan City (Edited May 26, 2021)– “Despite the many challenges encountered by the Misamis Iligan Lanao Transport Service Cooperative (MILTRASCO) on its application to acquire the 15 units modern passengers’ jeepney under the Public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program of the government,success is still on our side,” this is the message of the Miltrasco chairman, Jaime Pableo, in his welcome address during the launching of the project on May 22, 2021 held at the Magoong Multi-purpose gymnasium, Linamon, Lanao del Norte attended by the invited guests, visitors, members and officers of the cooperative. Pableo lauded the dynamic support of the officers and members of the cooperative in achieving success. He also extended thanks to the Lone district representative of Iligan City, Congressman Frederick Siao for the untiring support to Miltrasco. Pableo said that the modern jeepney is a long wait categorized as class 2 vehicle that would ply up to 60 kilometers. 

During the interview, Mr. Raul Permites, General manager of Miltrasco said that the project was funded through loans approved by the Land bank of the Philippines (LBP). Permites added that each unit will cost at 1.9 million pesos or a total of 28.5 million pesos for the 15 units payable in seven years. The modern jeepney vehicle is fully loaded with air conditioned equipped with Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, wifi and television set with seating capacity of 23 passengers. Routes will be considered from Iligan city proper going to Buru-un and vice versa assigned seven jeepney units to pick-up passengers to travel a distance approximately 10 kilometers west of Iligan city. Another route also considered to pick-up passengers plying from city proper at the Robinsons place going to Linamon, Lanao del Norte and vice versa to travel a distance of approximately 15 kilometers west of Iligan City assigned eight modern jeepney units. 

Mr. Jaime Pableo

Its operation will formally start immediately as soon as the franchise from the Land transportation franchise regulatory board (LTFRB) will be released. The eight jeepney units assigned for the Linamon 

route will be operational as soon as the traffic code of the Local government of Iligan City will be amended for outside Iligan routes the soonest time possible, in support to the national government PUV

modernization program of the Duterte administration. 

There was the presence of the National Confederation of Transport workers Union (NCTU) represented by Jaime Aguilar, General secretary . Aguilar said it is not easy to convert the Association into transport cooperative but it was done. The NCTU is supporting the PUV modernization program of the government. Aguilar said that they help the Miltrasco of the many obstacles they were facing during the period of the difficulties. 

Mr. Jaime Aguilar

He said that the next round of challenge is sustainability of the project implementation, the capacity to manage the operation. Therefore, Aguilar said due to the spirit of unity and cooperation, the Miltrasco achieved the fruit of success. 

On the other hand, Romeo Macailao, NCTU National treasurer who is also the General Manager of the Batangas Transport Service Cooperative (BATRASCO) explained concerning the Service contracting in the transport sector. He said service contracting will supplement the economic problem of the transport sector this time of pandemic. The NCTU was able to coalesce with the Labor center in Manila to move as one and lobbied in congress to access budget under the Bayanihan 2 and allocated the amount of 5.5 billion pesos intended for the service contracting. 

Mr. Romeo Macailao

   Under the service contracting scheme, Macailao said that the modern     jeepney will only accommodate 50% passengers’ capacity due to the     pandemic situation and the other 50% vacant seating capacity will be     paid by the government under the service contracting budget at               eleven pesos per kilometer per vacant seat to help compensate the           obligations for the maintenance cost of the unit. There is also a               driver’s subsidy at four thousand pesos to buy mobile phone to be           used in daily operation. There will be a payout to the drivers in the         amount of 25,000 pesos to help them on their domestic needs. 

Regional Director Amenodin Guro of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Region 10 in his message, he congratulated the Miltrasco for a job well done. Guro said that there will be a free rides to frontliners in the fight against COVID-19 and  the Authorized persons outside residence (APOR) provided they will show their works identification cards a proof of their identity. Guro said that there are 10 major components of PUV modernization program, mentioning the few, first is the modernization that passengers will be more comfortable with the gadgets and accessories in PUVs. Industry consolidation requires all individual operators to consolidate into one juridical entity such as cooperative and corporation. 

Mr. Amenodin Guro

Financing provided by the two government banks, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to help the small operators to acquire new units. The    overhaul Land transport system that balances the progress of the public land transportation sector for the convenient of the riding public. Since last month the LTFRB office held five launchings with 47 modernized PUVs. To date there are already more than 200 modernized PUVs and franchise compliance in the region. Guro extended his thanks to the Local government of Iligan city and  Linamon municipality and the office of Congressman Frederick Siao of the lone district of Iligan City as partners of the project. 

Mr. Dima-arig Diamla, 

LTFRB Assistant Director Dima-arig Diamla, Iligan Sattelite officer in-charge also shared his success story of the processes of Miltrasco. He gave advises to Miltrasco officers many times to ensure the approval of their application for the PUV modernization program in the acquisition of the 15 units modern jeepneys. 

Mr. Alexander Hernandez, General manager of the Legacy Trucks and Tractors, Incorporated said that they support not only for the acquisition of units but also supporting the business and success of the cooperative. Hernandez said that they conducted 2 days trainingto the drivers to capacitate how to operate the modernized vehicle. The vehicle has an applied technology so that it will be more efficient and productive that the cooperative will become financially healthy and profitable. 

Mr. Alexander Hernandez

Mr. Benjamin Javier, Jr., President and Chief Executive officer (CEO) of Nfinite solution. Javier said that all modernized vehicles of Miltrasco have been installed with Global positioning system (GPS) to be used where the exact location of the vehicle and its distance through the satellite and the user. There is also a gadget called Automated fare collection device (AFCD) to collect fare rates from the passengers through the power cards similar to the ATM card. The power card will be sold to the    passenger to pay fare rates online. 

Mr. Benjamin Javier, Jr. with AFCD

The Miltrasco power cards is orange in color will be loadable with amounts to pay for fare rates in the modernized vehicles. The drivers, conductors, members and officers of Miltrasco will educate the riding public in using the Miltrasco power cards for easy use. The students and senior citizens still entitle of the 20% fare discount. The power card will be used nationwide and will last for 10 years. The money collected from the passengers power cards will directly goes to the bank account of Miltrasco and the bank will automatically deduct the amount deposited to pay the loans of Miltrasco.

Congressman Frederick Siao

Congressman Freddie Siao, Lone district representative of Iligan City in his message said the success is credited to the resilient and dynamic leadership of the Miltrasco. He congratulated Miltrasco because It’s not easy to achieve success without the cooperation of the members and the outside network to work for the many challenges that would respond for the best of the cooperative. Siao said he always    support Miltrasco. He reiterated success will always be achieved if government guidelines will be followed.Congressman Siao said the strength and united Miltrasco must be continued. 

Mun. Councilor Rene Pestolante

Municipal Councilor Renato “Atoy” Pestolante of Linamon, Lanao del Norte in his message said that in the 1990s the Iligan City council created a traffic code to restrict provincial route outside Iligan City to enter the city proper and was only up to the south bound terminal in Barangay Tomas Cabili five kilometers away from the city proper. He said that it will take two rides for the people from Linamon in going to the city proper unlike before the created traffic code will only take one ride. He said that the modern passenger jeepney plying the route from Robinsons place in Iligan going to Linamon and vice versa is a big help for the commuters from Linamon to solve the transportation problem of PUVs direct route to Iligan city proper. Pestolante also informed the ongoing construction of Jeepney and bus terminal in poblacion Linamon to serve the transportation sector and commuters for public convenience. Linamon municipal councilor Kempee Macapil also present during the occasion.

Mr. Camcer Imam

Camcer Imam, In charge of thr Office of transport Cooperative (OTC) based in Cagayan de Oro City in  his message said the OTC was tasked to oversee the welfare of the transport cooperative all over the  country  committed to provide valuable undertakings and facilitate the transformation of transport cooperative to become highly competitive transport and  business organizations through genuine  operations. In 2019, the PUV modernization program, the OTC is     also committed that by 2040 transport cooperatives shall enjoy sustainable income and improve quality of life for all its members. 

Ribbon cutting ceremony led by Congressman Siao and LTFRB 10 Director Amenodin Guro was successfully done and turnover of keys and internet gadgets was conducted by the stakeholders from   

the LBP, Legacy trucks and tractors and Hfinite solution and was formally accepted by the Miltrasco officers of the 15 units of modern PUV jeepneys. 

Ribbon cutting ceremony

Iligan City councilors Simplicio "Pisyong" Larrazabal, Chairman of the committee on transportation and Jesse Ray Balanay, Chairman of the committee on cooperative of the Sangguniang Panglunsod (SP) were invited for the launching activity but they did not showed up for unknown reasons. The PUV modernization program is a thrust of the national government under the Duterte administration as one of the solutions to the traffic problem and provide sustainable income for the transport sector in the country. (with reports by Mar Sabate and Hermie Arcilla)