By Sophia Angeline G. Delantero
Wheels have rolled after the graduation ceremony. Students packed their bags and
carried their dreams with them back to their homes, hoping to turn the diplomas in their
hands into a future they had long dreamed of.
Wheels have rolled, and so have gas prices. After receiving recognition and being declared degree holders, little did they know that the rising fares would bring them closer to rock bottom. They had barely begun to imagine the lives they could build with their hard-earned degrees when reality came knocking, leaving them with nothing, not even the
chance to map out their plans, but only the burden of contemplating their purpose and existence.
Victory Liner’s fare went up to P78, buses going to Antipolo added P7, jeepney fares increased by almost P4, and tricycle fares rose so much that frustration could no longer keep up.
Occurrences between countries have contributed to this unwanted incident in our economy, but what are the odds that right after celebrating the sacrifices of our parents, we would be welcomed by the harsh reality of rising fares?
This might be the simplest form of payment we give back to the drivers and conductors of our local transportation, but it costs a lot from our pockets because that P78, as fresh graduates, is all we have. Not to mention how the P7 and P4 increases have burdened us so much that we find ourselves digging through our old, worn-out bags, hoping to find a few forgotten coins.
Wages also increased by P60, but the fact that this is still imbalanced with inflation says a lot about what we continue to suffer through because of our economy.
The scariest part is not merely the rising cost of living, but the uncertainty of whether we can survive it at all. There is something deeply dehumanizing about living in a country where the act of getting by demands so much of us. We might be paying our bills in the right amount, but we are not receiving the service equivalent to what we are paying, and somewhere between the fares we can barely afford and the wages that can barely sustain us, we are expected to accept this as part of becoming adults.
As starters in the working class, how are we supposed to figure things out when, even before we can afford to build the lives we worked so hard for, we are already holding empty pockets? We spent years studying to earn a degree, believing it would open doors to opportunities and give our families a reason to breathe a little easier. But what happens when the first thing waiting for us beyond those doors is another bill to pay, another fare to settle, and another dream we have to put on hold?
We have just graduated. We should be looking forward to the roads ahead, not calculating how much of ourselves we have to sacrifice just to afford the journey.**
