Jeepney driver earns only P56 after spending P1,200 on diesel amid fuel hikes

Even without a transport strike, some jeepney drivers have stopped plying their routes amid the massive fuel price hikes because it's no longer worth it.

According to Mark Salazar's report on "24 Oras," one of them, Benny Medina, said his trips from morning until night on Wednesday only earned him P56, which is not even enough for rice that goes for P60-per-kilo.

“Ang diesel ko kahapon P1,200 maghapon tapos ang kinita ko 'yung sumobra, P56 pesos kasama na barya. Tapos nagboundary lang ako,” Medina said.

(Yesterday, I spent P1,200 on diesel all day, and my take-home was only P56, including coins. I just covered my boundary.)

The boundary is the fee that the driver pays the owner or operator in exchange for using the jeepney to ply the routes.

With fewer passengers because of the work-from-home setup that some employers implemented to help their workers deal with the high prices of fuel and transportation, and diesel at P101 per liter, Benny opted to just wait for commissioned trips.

He also mentioned having to borrow money from "5-6" lenders, or those who charge 20% interest. 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is in the middle of distributing cash assistance for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and has prioritized those of tricycles.

Jeepney drivers are among those in line to receive the cash doles.

Some jeepney drivers said they were better off getting paid P1,000 a day by the government to take passengers in a  Libreng Sakay (free rides) program.

“P1,000 araw-araw nakakaraos ka. Okay na yun kesa wala sa ngayon nagshoshort ka (We received P1,000 a day. It’s better to have nothing at all),” Medina said.

In Montalban, Rizal, jeepney driver Antonio Escabas continues to go on trips despite taking home only about P100 to P150. He said this was only enough to buy food and his cigarettes.

Escabas said what he earned wasn't enough for his boundary. He said only gave his operator P300 and asked that the balance be treated as a loan.

Some jeepney drivers also have different opinions on the government’s efforts to address the effects of the increasing fuel prices. –Mariel Celine Serquiña/NB, GMA Integrated News