The Philippine Public Transport System and PUV Modernization — Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on the Philippine public transport system and the PUV modernization program.

Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ)

A road-based public transport vehicle in the Philippines; about 180,000 nationwide; majority are 15+ years old and are linked to higher accident risk and air pollution.

Public Utility Bus (PUB)

Public buses; they serve about 67% of transport demand but use only 28% of road space (JICA 2014).

LTFRB

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board; government agency that issues and regulates public transport franchises in the Philippines.

JICA

Japan International Cooperation Agency; conducted studies on demand, road space, and public transport efficiency in the Philippines.

GIZ Jeepney Market Transformation Programme

German development program aimed at reforming the jeepney market to improve safety, efficiency, and emissions.

Ambisyon Natin 2040

Philippines’ long-term development plan; includes the idea that car ownership is a societal aspiration ('Car = Filipino Dream').

Route Measured Capacity (RMC)

Franchise issuance based on route capacity rather than network-wide capacity.

Route-based planning

Planning focused on individual routes rather than an integrated, network-wide system.

No hierarchy of modes

Lack of an organized, prioritized ordering of transport modes (bus, jeepney, rail, etc.).

Low-capacity vehicles

Small-capacity public transport vehicles operating in high-demand areas, which can reduce overall road capacity.

Economic losses due to congestion

Estimated Php 2.4 billion in economic losses from traffic congestion (JICA 2014).

PUV Modernization Program

Government initiative to modernize the public utility vehicle fleet, reform the industry, move to low-emission PUVs, and improve rider welfare.

Route rationalization

Data-driven consolidation and optimization of routes to reduce overlap and improve efficiency.

Low-emission PUVs

Public utility vehicles with lower emissions, moving toward Euro 4 or better; includes electric and alternative-fuel options.

Euro 4 emission standard

A stringent engine emission standard adopted to reduce vehicle pollutants.

Clean Air Act

Philippine law governing air quality and vehicle emission standards; informs modernization requirements.

Automatic Fare Collection System (AFC)

Electronic system for collecting fares automatically across PUVs to improve efficiency.

CCTV

Closed-circuit television cameras installed in PUVs for security and monitoring.

GPS

Global Positioning System used to track routes, performance, and location of PUVs.

Dashboard Camera

In-vehicle camera recording device used for safety and incident documentation.

TNVS (Transport Network Vehicle Service)

Ride-hailing service (e.g., Grab, Uber) regulated in the Philippines as a TNVS.

TNC (Transport Network Company)

Company operating TNVS services (the corporate entities behind TNVS platforms).

CPC (Certificate of Public Convenience)

License issued by LTFRB to operate a public transport service; required for TNVS applications.

Regulation of TNVS

Government actions to formalize TNVS operation and curb illegal activities.

2015 TNVS regulation milestone

Year marking the Philippines as the first country to regulate Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS).

2018 LTFRB online CPC registration

LTFRB opened online registration for new CPCs for TNVS; applicants must complete online registration.

Non-infra flagship project

A major reform program in transportation that focuses on policy, governance, and operations rather than building new infrastructure.

PUV Modernization Program Partners

A broad coalition of government agencies, development banks, and international partners supporting modernization (e.g., DBP, LandBank, World Bank, ADB, Giz, JICA).