Employment of jeepney drivers helps ease struggles in PUVMP

Employment of jeepney drivers would be more progressive and can help enact the Public Utility Modernization Program (PUVMP), a passenger advocacy group said. 

According to Primo Morillo, convenor of The Passenger Forum: “Magandang plano na gawing employed yung ating mga transport workers. Magkaroon ng transition papunta sa ganon. It is a more progressive relation of production,” [It’s a good plan to employ our transport workers to help them transition into the modernization program. It is a more progressive relation of production] he said. 

Mr. Morillo added that being employed could provide benefits that drivers and operators do not have right now  

“Mayroon silang leave, meron silang benefits, meron silang kumbaga kita kahit na may sakit sila or may grumaduate na anak, diba? Kumikita pa rin sila kasi empleyo,” [In case they get sick, or they want to celebrate with their families, they can still earn money because they are employed] he elaborated on the possible benefits drivers and operators could have if they were employed.  

According to Mr. Morillo, jeepney drivers refused to consolidate due to a lack of information on how PUVMP can improve their livelihood.  

“Hindi malinaw kung paano makakatulong sa tsuper at operator yung programang iyon…dapat mayroong ganoong programa at natutukan yon ng ating gobyerno…sa totoo lang kung mapapaliwanag ito, marami po talagang tatanggap nito,” [It is not clear how PUVMP could help drivers and operators.If the government had an initiative aimed to educate them on the benefits of the program, drivers would’ve supported it] he said.  

Apart from informing the people, Mr. Morillo also proposed a “route rationalization plan” to strategically convince consolidation and disperse subsidies equally. 

“Yung route rationalization plan, makakatulong din yun para maidentify natin ano yung  madaling iconsolidate at madaling i-modernize na ruta kasi halimbawa…may mga ruta talaga na malaki ang kita at kaya nilang mag modernize pwedeng hindi ganon kalaki yung subsidy na kailangan. Pwedeng yun ang unahing phase,” [Route rationalization plan can help identify areas that can easily be consolidated and modernized…Routes that earn higher are less dependent on subsidies making those easier to modernize. That can be the first phase.] he explained on strategizing the PUV consolidation. 

“Pero yung pinakamahirap na mga ruta, yung maliliit ang kita, yun ang ihuhuli mo kasi baka ang kailangan doon full subsidy kasi maliit lang yung kita ng mga tsuper.” [But for those on the hardest routes with lower income, they should receive higher subsidies to aid in their transition to modernization.] 

Approximately 1,900 jeepney units were unauthorized and deemed illegal in Metro Manila because of expired franchises. Meanwhile, 81% or 160,000 units nationwide has consolidated with the government’s modernization program. – Almira Louise S. Martinez