'HIRAP NA HIRAP NA PO'

Jeepney group FEJODAP asks for temporary P1 fare increase amid fuel price hikes

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) on Sunday called on the government to allow them to temporarily increase the minimum fare in jeepneys by P1 amid the continuous fuel price hikes.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, FEJODAP president Ricardo "Boy" Rebaño reiterated their appeal for an “immediate action” from the national government to help them in their plight while the hearing for their petition to increase jeepney fares by P5 before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is still ongoing.

“Hirap na hirap na po talaga. Ang sabi nga ng iba gusto na nila tumigil sa paghahanapbuhay dahil nga po dito sa mga pangyayaring ito. Masyado naman kaming nasasamantala ng mga malalaking kompanya. Pinagsasamantalahan kami dahil dito sa giyera dito sa Ukraine at Russia at wala namang ginagawa ang pamahalaan para kami ay tulungan,” he said.

[It's really hard for us. Other drivers say they just want to stop working because of these recent events. We are being taken advantage of by big companies. We are being exploited because of the war in Ukraine and Russia and the government is not doing anything to help us.]

On February 28, pump prices of petroleum products increased for the ninth straight week, adding to prices which have already hit as high as P80 per liter in select areas in the country.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has repeatedly attributed the consecutive price hikes to the global supply constraints, exacerbated by the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine. 

Rebaño indicated that this temporary P1 fare increase that will go directly to  jeepney drivers will greatly help them in these trying times.

“Amin naman po itong piso na ‘to. Eh ayun lang naman sana ang pansamantalang labasan ng order na makapaningil na ho nang tama itong aming mga drayber. Piso lang po na pansamantala ang hinihingi namin,” he said.

[This P1 will go to us. We are asking them to temporarily release an order for this so that the drivers could charge correctly. We are only temporarily asking for P1.]

'Umaaray'

Meanwhile, Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) national president Mody Floranda that this is fuel hike is indeed heavy not only for the pockets of the jeepney drivers, but also the public.

“Talagang umaaray na po hindi lamang sa sektor ng transportasyon kundi lahat ng mamamayan sapagkat alam naman natin na ‘pag tumataas ang presyo ng petrolyo ay tataas din ang mga bilihin,” he said.

[It is not only the transportation sector that is crying but all the people because we know that when the price of oil goes up, so will the prices of goods.]

Rebaño thus urged all gasoline stations to also grant them a P2 discount amid the successive increases in pump prices of petroleum products.

“Marami na ring ngayon na gas stations na nagbibigay ng diskwentro na P2. Sana naman po, ipagpatuloy nila. Lahat sana ng gasoline stations magbigay na po ng P2 discount sa mga drivers kasi ‘yung subsidy hindi naman direktang natatanggap ng drivers ‘yan, sa operator ‘yan bumabagsak eh. At kung ‘yung operator walang konsensya, hindi bibigyan ng bahagi yung driver,” he added.

[Many gas stations now offer a P2 discount. Hopefully, they will continue. I hope all gasoline stations will give a P2 discount to drivers because the subsidy is not directly received by the drivers, as it falls to the operator. And if the operator has no conscience, the driver will not be given a share.]

The LTFRB said Thursday that the fuel subsidy budget for public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers has yet to be released, and the exact date for the payout is still uncertain.

PUV modernization program

Moreover, both FEJODAP and PISTON reiterated that it is still not the right time to implement the jeepney modernization program.

Rebaño said the government should allot operators at least P40,000 subsidy so they could process their existing documents for the said program.

“‘Pag tinulungan ng gobyerno ang mga individual operator na ‘yan, malaking kaginhawaan ‘yan. Wala na sigurong tututol diyan para sa programa ng gobyerno. Kasi sila po ang may programa, sila ang gumawa, maganda ‘yung iniisip nila. Pero pinatong sa balikat ng mga operator lahat ng gastusin na ‘yan,” he added.

[If the government helps those individual operators, it would be a big convenience. No one will probably object to that government program. It is the government who made the program, and while it is good, they put all those expenses on the shoulders of the operators.]

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) requires jeepney drivers and operators to purchase “modernized jeepney” units which cost from P1 million to P2.2 million each with P800,000 coming from government subsidy.

This will result in drivers being able to receive a regular salary as they work by shifts. With the new scheme, the boundary system will no longer be applicable and there will no longer be competition among drivers. —KG, GMA News