TODAY’s guest columnist is Naomi Soriano, the new convenor for Commuters 4 Change. She bridges research and design to advance public transportation reforms.
Local government units (LGUs) know their commuting environment best, but knowing what needs to be done and having the resources to do so are two different things. This is where the national government comes in. By providing initial funding and technical assistance, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) can incentivize LGUs to turn locally identified commuter needs into public transportation programs that the LGU can implement. The national government cannot do everything, and neither can the LGUs. The goal is not to decide which governing body should take credit for new public transportation initiatives, but to determine how to best combine local knowledge with national resources to improve services for commuters.
Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Public Transport Modernization Convention in Baguio City. Organized by the World Bank, representatives from the Baguio LGU, DOTr, transport service entities (TSEs) and their drivers and concerned commuters convened to discuss the proposed framework for modernizing the city’s public transportation. Since its inception, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program has faced criticism over the financial burden placed on TSEs and its failure to address the prevailing problem of our public transportation system: the lack of service and supply. In recent years, it has been renamed into the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) and has begun shifting its focus from modernizing public utility vehicles (PUVs) to modernizing services based on the needs of commuters, and in close partnership with LGUs.
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who was present at the convention, expressed his willingness to work with DOTr to implement the PTMP in his city. Ever the stern presence, Magalong assured the TSEs: ”We are not forcing you out, we want to create with you.” His reassurance pointed to a central challenge of modernization: how can the government improve public transportation and service more commuters without compromising the livelihoods of the TSEs and drivers who keep it running? In this scenario, LGUs may be better positioned to bridge this gap by bringing TSEs into the process of planning public transportation modernization and reassuring their livelihoods will be protected as the system evolves.
Cebu offers an early example of how local-national partnerships can put this approach into action. The Cebu provincial government will pioneer the Tabang PamByahe, the very first LGU-led service contracting program with P20-million financial support from the DOTr. The goal of this program is to accommodate more commuters by extending service hours and increasing trip frequency. All participating buses will install CCTV cameras and GPS systems so that LGUs can monitor service frequency and verify compliance with the schedules stipulated in their service contracts. It will be piloted on two routes: the Cebu South Bus Terminal to Sibonga route and the IT Park to Danao City route.
Amid volatile fuel prices and rising operational costs, privately-owned TSEs can struggle to keep their routes running. Hence, the LGU is best equipped to keep public transportation running for commuters by partnering with TSEs to deliver reliable trips with predictability regardless of the number of passengers on board — moving away from the “alas-puno” system that leaves commuters waiting for hours. Under the Tabang PamByahe, drivers and other eligible transport personnel will earn subsidies per kilometer on top of their daily collections, while participating TSEs will earn funding from to support additional trips and more reliable service. When properly implemented, service contracting provides TSEs and their drivers with safer working conditions and more predictable incomes while improving commuter access to public transportation. As Cebu builds its capacity to implement the program before the end of this year, their experience may offer useful lessons for other LGUs who wish to adopt the service contracting model in the coming months.
Local-national partnerships can also yield active transport infrastructure that connects to public transportation. One example is the partnership between the Muntinlupa city government and the DOTr. This partnership can be traced back to 2023, when incumbent Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed an agreement with DOTr to secure P86.1 million in national funding to bring the DOTr’s Active Transport Bike Share System and Safe Pathways Program to Muntinlupa. Their most recent project is Muntinlupa’s very first end-of-trip (EoT) cycling facility at the Alabang Public Market, where cyclists can park under a roofed rack, repair their bicycles, store belongings in lockers and shower after their ride. The EoT facility is also linked via the MMDA Alabang-Montillano Footbridge to a newly built roofed PUV stop at the Alabang City Terminal. Two other new PUV stops were also opened at Sitio Masagana and PNP Muntinlupa City Station to provide safer pickup and drop off points for commuters.
These initiatives show how local-national partnerships can increase public transportation services and complementary active transport infrastructure in local communities. However, building these partnerships is only the first step. Sustaining these initiatives will require consistent funding to continue serving generations of commuters. While road transportation mobility advocates welcome the recent reinstatement of the Service Contracting Program budget under House Bill 10858, the reduced allocation raises concerns about whether the national government can fund more LGU-led service contracting programs. Short-term funding cannot guarantee long-term service continuity. If the national government expects LGUs to take a greater role in delivering public transportation, it must also help provide the necessary financial resources and institutional support. At the same time, LGUs must develop sustainable financing plans of their own to ensure their own service contracting initiatives endure beyond any single national budget cycle.
While public transportation initiatives from local-national partnerships show promise, they remain in their early stages. Their long-term impact is yet to be seen. But shared responsibility is a step in the right direction.
