Metro Manila authorities on Monday announced a new government-sanctioned carpooling program aimed at easing public transport shortages and soaring fuel costs, while flatly rejecting claims that the initiative is a "trap" to catch illegal transport operators.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Atty. Don Artes said the program, developed in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is expected to roll out early next week following the Holy Week break.

"Rest assured na ito pong guidelines na ito ay hindi trap na tulad ng sinasabi ng ilan. Ilan lang naman po yun. Marami naman pong natuwa," Artes said, addressing concerns that the initiative is a ruse to apprehend "colorum" or unauthorized public utility vehicles.

According to the MMDA, the program is open to individual private car owners and companies. Under the proposed guidelines, corporations can establish shuttle services for their staff, while individuals can enroll their private vehicles to ferry neighbors or colleagues.

To prevent the program from being abused or competing unfairly with franchised jeepneys and buses, the MMDA outlined several strict operational limits:

• Twice-Daily Limit: Vehicles are restricted to two trips per day—one in the morning for the commute to work and one in the evening for the return home.

• Point-to-Point Only: Drivers are prohibited from picking up or dropping off passengers along the road. Operations must follow a strict "one pickup, one drop-off" model.

• Fare Regulation: While the government acknowledges the need to cover fuel and maintenance costs, Artes warned against "for-profit" pricing. The DOTr and LTFRB will set parameters to ensure fares remain reasonable and do not exploit commuters.

The MMDA further stated that to ensure participants are not harassed by traffic enforcers, authorized carpool vehicles will be issued QR codes linked to special permits from the LTFRB.

"Mag-i-issue po ng QR code para makita po yung permit na sila ay authorized para hindi na po sila haharangin, hindi na i-inspectionin para wala pong delay. Iyan po yung napag-usapan namin ng LTFRB," Artes said.

Atty. Martin Ontog of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) noted that while the military and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) have deployed buses to augment transport, carpooling addresses a different demographic, specifically those in subdivisions and small communities.

"We welcome this initiative po led by LTFRB and MMDA na tama rin po sinasabi ni Chairman na huwag po sana masubject to abuse ito, itong opportunity ito," he said.

“We are here to help implement whatever guidelines that will be rolled out by this committee po," he added.

Chairman Artes reiterated that the program is intended to be a temporary solution to the current transport crisis and high oil prices. Officials stated that the LTFRB and DOTr will evaluate whether to extend the program once the situation normalizes.

“Yung validity po nito ay temporary. Hindi po ito permanente. Habang meron lamang po tayong problema. Pag nag-normalize na po, pag-iisipan po ng LTFRB at ng DOTR kung i-extend itong programa."

The LTFRB is expected to post the finalized guidelines and begin accepting applications in the coming days. Authorities emphasized that safety regulations, including vehicle roadworthiness and valid driver’s licenses, will remain strictly enforced despite the relaxed restrictions on private vehicle use.