Over the past few months, there has been much talk about the Philippine government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVPM). As the name suggests, the Department of Transportation’s initiative to give our country’s rather ancient transport system a new face seems all set to take off. And this is exactly what was shown at the recently-concluded 1st Philippine Automotive Parts Expo (PHILAPEX 2017).
During the event organized by the Philippine Parts Makers Association, some 16 modern PUV prototypes were proudly displayed to show visitors what they can expect to see on our roads in the near future. The Eco PUV Showcase, as it was called, was put together by the Department of Trade and Industry to answer the call for a modern type of public transport.
A budget of some P9 billion will be earmarked to put these vehicles on the road. At the same time, the said Eco PUV will take up the third slot in the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program where incentives will be given to manufacturers who are able to locally assemble around 200,000 units within the next five years.
