DOTr seeks additional P5 billion budget for PUV service contractingMANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has requested an additional P5-billion budget for the net service contracting program for public utility vehicles (PUVs), Secretary Giovanni Lopez said yesterday as the current P1-billion budget set to be rolled out by April 15 will only last for two to three weeks. The current P1 billion will be divided into P800 million for road transport and P200 million for maritime transport. Around 1,000 transport operators and 50,000 PUV units will benefit from the program, along with 15 million daily passengers. He also encouraged local government units to follow suit in providing free rides through the service contracting program, setting examples like Marikina, Manila and Quezon City, among others. DOTr will implement a net service contracting scheme where operators receive payments based on kilometers traveled but still collect fares from passengers.

Source: Philippine Star April 10, 2026 17:33 UTC