By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
If our present national leadership will have their way, the jeepneys will no longer ply our streets as PUVs after the year 2032. That is because the iconic jeepney will be gradually phased out starting this year. According to the present wind direction, fifteen-year old or older jeepneys will no longer be given license to operate and therefore out of the public transportation landscape of the country within 15 years.
They call the phase-out as PUJ or jeepney modernization program (JMP). Of course, most of us want modernization of our transport system. We have suffered long enough from the seemingly uncontrolled emission of pollutants from the old, rickety, dilapidated and rusty jeepneys.
Last week, the publisher of this paper, ZigZag Weekly, came out with his support for the PUJ modernization program. He went on to explain some of the reasons why. He unequivocally said though that modernization should include all modes of public transportation such as the buses, vans and the maritime transport vessels.
On hindsight, a question lingers in his mind: he is not exactly sure, given previous report cards of the government, if such modernization program could really bring about the needed high quality vehicles, solution to our traffic problems, and if it is really well-intentioned.
Those questions are really also in the minds of countless others. I can not blame the PISTON, a jeepney transport group that waged a two-day transport strike recently, which surmises that the program is really a marketing program, not modernization.
As things are developing, it seems that the JMP was not conceptualized for the benefit of all sectors concerned. It did not fully consider the financial aspect of the program. For example, if a new unit will cost PhP1.6M and a buyer will pay it for 15 years with an interest of 6%, the daily cost to pay is about PhP564.00. That is continuous driving for 30 days in a month which is next to impossible. If driving is only 6 days in a week, the driver will need to collect PhP 608.00 in fare just to break even. But if you include oil and other needed material for the daily grind that could increase up to PhP.1,000.00/mo. If a driver wants to have a take home of PhP500.00 for his labor, then the amount jacks up to PhP1,500.00. This does not include repairs that will surely come. If the modern jeepneys will cruise in the same conditions of our current roads, their air conditioning system will surely beg for constant repairs. The cost escalates as the years wear on.
Those figures in themselves are sure disincentives to the modernization program. Who would like to work more than what a carabao is doing?
The government is allocating initially about PhP2.0B to finance the program. Considering that there would be no proprietor with a single jeepney to his name will be allowed, the government is helping the richer people in this program. The program stipulates that an operator should have initially at least 20 units to his name, gradually increasing to 40 or 50. That means the program is for those who have money to invest. It seems that the program was conceived by those with interest in the transport business. Where will the 200,000 or so single jeepney operators and drivers go? What will be their incentives or alternative sources of income? If all of them have their own family of 5, that would mean around a million problem. I think this was not considered.
Besides, the jeepneys will no longer be manufactured locally but it will be supplied mainly by foreign automakers, displacing Filipino manufacturers. The program will be directly creating employment in other countries but not for us Filipinos. So instead of attracting back OFWs, they will continue to go abroad for jobs that could otherwise be available here.
Many OFWs invested their hard-earned money abroad in single jeepneys so they could have a source of income when they return to the country for good. What will happen to them? To make a long story short, the JMP is one sure way of discouraging small entrepreneurs to invest their money in the public transportation sector. OFWs will have to be trained for other possible investment opportunities, which is easier said than done.
I hope this JMP will not be the same as the war on drugs where the intentions are clearly noble and very important but aspects like rehab centers, alternative source of income, etc were not given due attention at the beginning. Results were therefore quite chaotic.
I also go for modernization of the jeepney that will go with the fact the Philippines has one of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world today. Modernization is really the call of the day, to continue to attract investments, tourists, etc. But modernization comes with proper planning, and it should certainly benefit more the poor sector of our society. **
