MANILA -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is providing assistance to drivers and operators who had failed to consolidate their franchises under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chairman Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said in a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday that among the programs being implemented by the DOTr with the help of other agencies include “EnTSUPERneur” program by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the “Tsuper Iskolar” by the Technical Education and Skills Development Program (TESDA).

Those initiatives are aimed at improving the livelihood of public transport drivers and operators affected by the PUVMP, Ortega said.

“So we’ve improved the program by instead of… I mean instead of, or puwede na ngayon i-avail and dalawang program ng gobyerno,” he said.

“They could avail the program set by DOLE and by Tesda. These are for those that are affected, either driver of operator especially those that hindi nag-consolidate. So ‘yun ‘yung programs of the government for them,” he added.

DOTr teamed up with DOLE in launching an alternative livelihood program for displaced transport workers amid the PUV Modernization Program and the coronavirus pandemic.

The DOTr provided funding to the “EnTSUPERneur” program to help the Labor Department carry out its DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), which seeks to provide capital and capacity building on livelihood and entrepreneurship for affected workers.

On the other hand, TESDA’s Tsuper Iskolar program aims to provide scholarships and livelihood training to drivers, operators and their families. (PND)