Introductory Workshop on Service Contracts in Manila

As part of the NAMA development process, the TRANSfer project supported the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) of the Philippines in conducting an Introductory Workshop on Service Contracts. The workshop took place in Manila on May 29 2015 and attracted 70 participants diversely representing national and local government agencies, private bus and jeepney companies and associations, financial and academic institutions, as well as non-governmental organisations.

The workshop is part of a series of events to support and mainstream the road-based public transport reform program of the DOTC. The reform is the key element of the NAMA of the DOTC with a focus on modernisation and consolidation of the bus and jeepney industry including an institutional re-organisation of public transport provision within the Philippines.
The workshop aimed to: (1) explore different experiences and lessons learnt with service contracts, (2) highlight how service contracts encourage fleet modernisation and possibly improve public transport services, and (3) learn about the perspectives of local stakeholders on the key features of a service contract, challenges in implementation, areas of support needed, respective roles, and concrete action points that need to be taken.