Zubiri Pushes for PUV Modernization Loan Fund, Doubles Down against Loan Application Red Tape

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri outlined legislative plans for the transport cooperative sector at the 1st Mindanao Transport Cooperative Congress, putting particular emphasis on cutting down red tape for loans and setting up a modernization loan fund for transport cooperatives.

Zubiri, who chairs the Senate Committee on Cooperatives, was a guest speaker at the 1st Mindanao Transport Cooperative Congress held on Friday, 29 October 2021, in General Santos City. The event was organized by the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives to discuss the country's ongoing PUV Modernization Program.

"I'm very glad to have been invited, lalo na po at taga-Mindanao rin ako. Alam ko pong may sarili tayong challenges sa ating transport sector, at handa po akong makinig at tumulong maghanap ng solusyon para maayos nating maisagawa ang PUV modernization dito," Zubiri said.

"Alam ko pong handa na ang transport sector natin para sa modernization, pero nahaharang po ang full implementation dahil sa pandemya, at lalo na dahil sa burukrasya."

Addressing these issues, Zubiri discussed two bills he has filed for the sector: the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program Act (PUVMP Act) and the Transportation Cooperatives Development Loan Fund Act.

"Through the PUVMP Act, we will institutionalize our PUV modernization efforts, para po magkaroon ng sapat na government support para dito, under the leadership of the DOTr," he said. "Similarly, tutulong din po sa PUV modernization ang Transport Cooperatives Development Loan Fund Act. Dito naman po, gagawa tayo ng pondo na magmumula sa MVUC, at ididirekta natin itong pondong ito sa ating modernization efforts."

Zubiri also doubled down on earlier statements he made against bureaucratic issues that transport cooperatives have been facing in their PUV Modernization-related loan applications.

"As the author of the Ease of Doing Business Act, I want to make the modernization process as swift and easy as possible. So we're already dealing with this in the Senate. We've had our first Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives hearing on the issue, and we will have another one soon. Prompted by our first hearing, the Anti-Red Tape Authority has also held three coordination meetings so far with transport sector cooperatives and concerned agencies to discuss and thresh out issues in relation to the raised concerns on the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) requirements for PUVMP-related loan applications."

The LPTRP is a study plan of public utility vehicle routes prepared by the local government and approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. It is requisite for the operation of modernized jeepneys. Transport cooperatives have reported that the LTPRP requirement has inadvertently stalled loan approvals and PUV operations, as they can take months to be processed and approved.

"Hahanapan talaga natin ng paraan na mapadali ang loan applications ng ating transport sector, so we can finally go full-speed ahead with our PUV Modernization Program."