By Benjamin Cuaresma
Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez announced a new QR code system to monitor the actual kilometers traveled by public utility jeepneys (PUJs) under the service contracting program, saying it will serve as an alternative for PUJ drivers who don’t have GPS tracking devices.
Lopez bared the plan at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum with Marichu Villanueva, after his own 3.5-hour commute from Commonwealth Avenue to the DOTr office drew public attention.
Lopez explained that the QR code system will track route compliance and distance covered by PUJs, with the data used as basis for payouts under service contracting.
He emphasized it gives operators without GPS units a way to participate in the program. “Not all PUJs have GPS yet, so the QR code will be the alternative.
We need to see where our PUJs are running and how far they go. This makes the service contracting program more transparent and accountable,” he said.
The policy pitch came after Lopez detailed his bus ride, which he described as “a punishment. Quite difficult. Exhausting.”
He said commuters were “all at war,” chasing buses packed with around 90 passengers — nearly double the intended 50-seat capacity plus standing room.
“You’re not allowed to move. You just have to breathe slowly. It was like, ‘just be patient, just be patient,’” Lopez recalled.
That experience led Lopez to issue a memorandum directing all DOTr road and rail officials to take public transport at least once a week.
“These officials should always be out there because most of our projects are in these sectors,” Lopez said. He wants policymakers to experience commuter hardships firsthand to design better transport programs.
Secretary lopez said, pairing ground-level exposure with tools like the QR code system will help plug service gaps and improve daily trips for commuters.
