(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday that there will no longer be any extension to the April 30 public utility vehicles (PUVs) franchise consolidation deadline under the government's transport modernization program.

"In the end, there will be no extension for the consolidation. We really need that," Marcos said during the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting on traffic issues in San Juan City.

"We are ensuring that it will not be a burden to the driver-operator, that's why we established a very good and organized system," he added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks at the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. With him were Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN

The original deadline was Dec. 31, 2023, but Marcos agreed to extend it until April 30, 2024, as recommended by the Department of Transportation.

The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said that PUVs totaling 190,000 units, comprising of UV Express, public utility jeepneys, mini-buses and buses, have agreed to consolidate.

The consolidation scheme was the first part of the transport modernization program, followed by fleet management phase.

Under the government transport modernization program, jeepney drivers and operators must form cooperatives to avail of state subsidies for procurement of modern jeepneys.

LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said on Wednesday that failing to meet the deadline would result in revocation of franchise.

"We will revoke those franchises, and we will only allow those who have consolidated to ply the routes of Metro Manila," he said.

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