The Voice of Jeepney Drivers and Operators

“Manong bayad po…pakiabot po…Ate/Kuya pasuyo po…” This usual kind of

handling the fares of passengers in a jeepney will not be possibly observed because it
will soon be replaced with automated fare collection or beep cards for the payment of
fares as one of the proposed designs of modernized jeepney models in relation of the
government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) to be implemented
on the following year. The proposed designs includes the new jeepney models to have
CCTC camera, Wifi, Global Positioning System (GPS), a side door entrance, and a lot
bigger and more comfortable (UNTV News). However, “The modern air conditioned
jeepney may look fine and dandy, but when you are on your way to the market, would
you really need for an air-conditioned ride?” (InterAksyon). Jeepney drivers and
operators are the most affected of this modernization transport system especially most
of those who belong to the poor sector. The PUVMP is bold and ambitious causing
them to air their woes and sentiments about the program. If this new transport system
will be implemented, how will the jeepney drivers and operators cope with the sudden
change caused by the urgency of the PUVMP?

Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON)

staged a transport strike on October 16 and 17, 2017 to protest the modernization
program that had forced the Malacanang to suspend classes and government work
nationwide because of the 2-day transport strike. It was the third nationwide strike
against the PUVMP, with the last two strikes held in February and September this year.
The modernization program includes phasing out jeepneys that are at least 15 years old
and this will further cause jeepney operators and drivers to fall into deeper poverty
because the program is expected to affect 270,000 jeepneys and 650,000 drivers
nationwide according to the Crispin B. Beltran Research Center (Inquirer.netPhilippine
Daily Inquirer). Transport groups Stop and Go Coalition and PISTON stressed that they
support rehabilitation of the public utility vehicle sector but oppose a phase out of the
venerable jeepney. They said that the jeepney phase out plan will deprive them of their
livelihood. Unemployment and huge debts are also their major concerns over the
impending jeepney modernization program (CNNPhilippines).

Jun Magno, Stop and Go Coalition president, said, “Pinipilit po tayong mg

operator na pumasok sa programa nilang modernization o phase out at ang ipapalit ay
ang kanilang e-jeep, solar jeep o
ang modelong may makinang Euro-4 na ang halaga ay P1.4 at P1.6 million na
ipapautang dawn g Landbank sa mga operator ng PUJ na huhulugan ng P800 a day at
ang lumang jeep natin ay babayaran na lang ng P30,000 (na) salvage fee.” He added,
“Kukunin na ang jeep natin, ibabaon pa tayo sa utang.” They are opposed to the
jeepney phase out plan since they can’t afford to acquire new jeepneys and they only
receive minimum wage salary (Philippine STAR).

George San Mateo, the National president of PISTON, said, “Pinaglalaban

naming dito ng mga operator and driver yung tangka ng pamahalaan na ibaon kami sa
utang.” He added, “Layunin lang nitong pilitin kaming bumili ng mga bagong unit na
hindi naming kayang bayaran.” San Mateo was alluding to the PUVMP, which entails
putting up capital that the sector’s small players can ill-afford and would force them to
be buried in loans with terms that, for them, are not sustainable. In Baguio City and
Benguet province, PISTON Metro Baguio president Carlito Wayas, said, “Ulitek manen
diay inbagak idi, imbes a tulongan dakami ti gobyerno, kasla kayat na maet a patayen
dakami a babassit a jeepney operators ken draybers babaen ti ipilpilit da a
panangiserrek ti maysa nga programa nu sadino ket ti mapaboran ket dagiti babaknang
ken kapitalista.” (I repeat what I have said before, the government, instead of helping,
seems to want to kill us small jeepney operators and drivers by insisting on a program
that favors the rich and capitalists.) (InterAksyon)

The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) labeled as “ludicrous” the claim
of President Rodrigo Duterte that protesting jeepney drivers and operators committed
rebellion. In a speech in Pili, Camarines Sur, Duterte said, PISTON, the human rights
group Karapatan, and the labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) were in conspiracy
with the communist rebels. However, Edre Oliala, NUPL president, said, “As early as
first year of law school, we were present in class and read, memorized, analyzed,
understood and recited rebellion as ‘rising and taking arms against the Government for
the purpose of removing from the allegiance to said Government or its laws, the territory
of the Republic of the Philippines or any part thereof, of any body of land, naval or other
armed forces, or depriving the Chief Executive or the Legislature, wholly or partially, of
any of their powers or prerogatives.” He added, “It is bad enough that the political
prisoners are routinely charged with nonbailable common crimes instead of the proper
legal charge of rebellion. It is manifoldly worse that poor and hungry jeepney drivers
and their supporters will be accused or charged with ‘raising and taking arms’ when all
they did was raise their flags, placards and fists.” These flags and placards raised by
the jeepney drivers are not weapons for them to be charged of rebellion.