Jeepney drivers in Dagupan City have their daily earnings drop by half due to ongoing road projects and new traffic rerouting schemes that have limited their usual routes.

From earning P800 a day, jeepney driver Richard Vergara Terre said he now only brings home around P400.

"Hindi na namin nakukuha yung Rizal eh. Saka dito lang kami lumiliko, wala na dun," Terre said, referring to the loss of passengers from the Rizal Street area, which is now inaccessible to jeepneys due to drainage works.

Tony Perado, another driver, shared a similar experience.

He started driving at 6 a.m. and had already made three roundtrips to San Fabian by midmorning, yet still earned less than P1,000.

"Wala [naman kami nakukuha sa Herrero], dito lang [meron] sa DBP," Perado said.

Both drivers said they now pick up fewer passengers, especially since jeepneys going to Mangaldan, San Fabian, Manaoag, San Jacinto, and nearby towns are no longer allowed to enter Rizal Street and are instead rerouted to Herrero Perez and PNR Road.

Under the new traffic scheme, Rizal Street has been made one-way and is now limited to tricycles and private vehicles.

Jeepneys heading to Lingayen and Sta. Barbara also cannot enter the area and are rerouted to MH del Pilar and AB Fernandez Avenue.

Dagupan City POSO Chief Arvin Decano said rerouting was necessary to prevent congestion.

"Kung hindi natin iri-reroute ang mga 'yan, magla-lockdown. Madadamay ang ABF pati ang intersection," Decano said.

POSO enforcers are monitoring the traffic flow closely, and while there's no definite timeline for the rerouting, Decano assured things will improve once the road projects in the downtown area are completed.

"Ito ginagawan din namin ng paraan. Hindi sa pinagdadamutan namin kayo. Kung makikita niyo, yung daan na ginagawa, para sa inyo rin 'yan," he added.