transport strike meaning in tagalog essay

What you need to know about the week-long transport strike

By NICK GARCIA Published Mar 06, 2023 5:03 pm

March 6 isn't like any another manic Monday. The streets may still be bustling, but there's a missing unmistakable sight on the road: the jeepneys.

There's little to none of the ubiquitous vehicle bursting with much color and design, vroom and music on the roads of Metro Manila and other parts of the country on March 6 and in the days to come, as tens of thousands of drivers and operators are staging a week-long transport strike in protest of the planned phaseout of traditional jeepneys this year.

Modernization program

The jeepney that everybody knows today can be traced back to World War II. When American soldiers left the country, excess jeeps during the war were sold or given to Filipinos, who then customized the vehicle for local use. The customization included putting up metal roofs, ornaments, and long benches, and has been the same design in the coming years. The engines, which run on diesel, are discards that have been reassembled.

For the government, these raise not only safety concerns due to obsolescence but also environmental concerns as the jeepneys emit a lot of smoke.

And so in 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the Rodrigo Duterte administration launched the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which aims to make the country's public transportation system more comfortable and environment-friendly.

Under the program, jeepneys, buses, and other public utility vehicles that are at least 15 years old must be replaced.

The replacement—an electronic jeepney or e-jeepney—operates on an electric engine, has closed circuit television cameras, an air-conditioned unit, and an automated fare collection system, among other features that keep up with the times.

Money concerns

The transport strike all boils down to one major concern: money.

The Land Bank of the Philippines in 2017 estimated that the new jeepneys will cost around P1.4 million to P1.6 million. But since it's the drivers and operators who should procure the units themselves through loans, the actual cost would amount to P2.1 million, under a seven-year payment period with 6% interest per annum.

Aside from financial concerns, several groups believe that the traditional jeepney is part of the Filipino identity, thus, it must be preserved.

Through a memo , the Land Transport Franchising Regulatory Board ordered drivers and operators to form a cooperative with at least 15 vehicles to be able to secure loans for the new jeepneys, or else lose their franchise.

The first deadline was in June 2020, but was extended to December 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was again moved to March 2021, and then to June 30, 2023. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. extended the deadline to Dec. 31, 2023, following an appeal from operators.

The government also offered to give P200,000 per jeepney that will be phased out.

Nonetheless, drivers and operators aren't comfortable with the wiggle room they've been given. Aside from their relatively low income of about P700 daily, they are worried that they can't pay off their loans in seven years' time, especially since they also have to attend to other expenses such as maintenance of the units—not to mention, bills at home.

On the side of commuters, meanwhile, riding modernized vehicles would also mean paying higher fares.

Piston, the group leading the week-long transport strike, is appealing to increase the P200,000 subsidy the government is offering per unit.

Piston also urged other transport groups to join the strike, though others aren't reportedly joining, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). These include the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or Piston, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, and UV Express Group.

Government response to the strike

Mayors in Metro Manila offered "libreng sakay" to commuters, while the Department of Interior and Local Government deployed service patrols to accommodate the lack of transportation.

The Palace also sent vehicles to cater to passengers.

The MMDA, meanwhile, lifted the number coding scheme for March 6.

Educational institutions in the metro already holding in-person classes have returned to an online medium for the time being. Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the Department of Education secretary, also urged schools to conduct asynchronous classes.

Ahead of the week-long strike, senators in a hearing urged transport officials to review the planned jeepney phaseout.

Sen. Grace Poe, who heads the senate committee on public services, urged the DOTr to “find a realistic and viable solution to the concerns raised by operators and drivers on the modernization program.”

“We expect that (DOTr Sec. Jaime Bautista) himself will participate and personally meet with the various transport groups ASAP and hear their concerns,” Poe said in a statement.

Sen. Chiz Escudero said the jeepney phaseout was "hastily planned, haphazardly implemented, and offered no safety nets" for drivers and operators.

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, meanwhile, noted the government shouldn't push through with the jeepney phaseout, especially if the drivers and operators can't afford the new units. Pimentel said the government should've thought of every detail regarding the plan first before implementing it.

TAGS: travel jeepney Transportation protest commute jeep

NICK GARCIA

Nick writes about politics, law, health, entertainment, and pop culture, among others. Outside work, he's a wannabe musician and cook. Email him at [email protected] .

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LIST: Mga #WalangPasok ngayong October 16 dahil sa transport strike

MARAMING lugar at paaralan ang nagsuspinde ng klase o kaya naman nag-shift sa distance learning dahil sa transport strike na isinasagawa ngayong araw, October 16, ng ilang jeepney drivers.

Kung maaalala noong October 9, nagsabi ang transport group na Manibela na ikakasa nila ang nationwide strike upang iprotesta ang korapsyon umano pagdating sa transportation sector.

Ang panawagan pa nila, suriin at pag-aralang mabuti ang Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

Ayon pa sa chairman ng Manibela na si Mar Valbuena, aabot sa 240,000 traditional jeepneys ang inaasahang makiki-join sa strike.

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Baka Bet Mo: ChiKapalaran (October 16-22,2023): Alamin ang inyong horoscope ngayong linggo, Ka-Bandera!

Narito ang listahan ng mga walang pasok:

Local na Pamahalaan –

• Sta. Rosa, Laguna (October 16): all levels, public and private, shift to online/modular classes
• Pampanga (October 16–17): all levels, public and private, shift to online/modular classes or any alternative learning delivery modality
•   Lingayen, Pangasinan (October 16): all levels, public and private
• Cabuyao City, Laguna (October 16): all levels, public and private
• Marikina City (October 16): all levels, public and private, will shift to asynchronous learning
• Dagupan, Pangasinan (October 16): elementary to high school, public
• Binmaley, Pangasinan (October 16): preschool to senior high school, public and private
• City of San Pedro, Laguna (October 16): all levels, public and private will shift to modular / online classes

Mga Unibersidad

• Adamson University (October 16–17): all levels to shift to synchronous online classes; work in offices will be held remotely on October 16
• De La Salle University Manila (October 16): classes and work to shift to online mode
• National University Manila and Nazareth School (October 16): shift to synchronous learning
• San Beda University Manila and Rizal Integrated Basic Education Department campuses (October 16): shift to online classes
• University of the East Manila and Caloocan (October 16): all levels shift to off-site synchronous learning via the Canvas learning management system for college, senior high school and graduate classes, and via Google Classroom for K-10 classes
• University of Santo Tomas (October 16): shift to Enriched Virtual Mode of Instruction, with synchronous and asynchronous sessions, and remote work arrangements
• Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila (October 16): shift to online synchronous mode
• Polytechnic University of the Philippines (October 16): all levels at all PUP branches and campuses will shift to online mode of delivery
• Mapúa University Manila and Makati (October 16): will shift to synchronous classes
• National Teachers College (October 16): will shift to synchronous, master classes will be asynchronous self-paced, office transactions remain open
• Ateneo de Manila University (October 16): undergraduate and graduate classes of the Schools of Education and Learning Design, Humanities, Management, Science and Engineering, and Social Sciences will shift to online mode

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Looking at the transport strike through the lens of jeepney drivers

As an assistant professor in Manila, I have to take three jeepney rides from our home to the university. There is no doubt that I was one of the countless people gravely affected by the recent transport strike. But I would like to state unhesitatingly my full support for it, and my sincerest solidarity with our poor drivers and desperate operators. I call upon the public to view this struggle through the lens of jeepney drivers compelled to resort to this action by our utterly stratified society. Their situation is like that of the working class forced to go on strike due to the injustices committed by their greedy employers.

I would also like to call out the irresponsible pronouncement of Vice President Sara Duterte who claimed that the transport strike is “communist-inspired,” which shows her naïveté and unforgivable ignorance about the whole issue. Which individual or group would want to go on strike and forego their income if there is still a way out? The brutal truth is that this transport strike is the direct result of the inutile and perverse capitalist system. Instead of the communists inspiring the strike, it is this action that inspires the activists, the revolutionaries, the socialists, communists, etc.

Let us not kid or fool ourselves. The strike is a protest against the jeepney phaseout plan, whose true motive is “corporate phase-in.” The real intention is to allow big players, corporations, and conglomerates to enter the business and kill off competition from small players. I do not buy the government’s pathetic argument that says the jeepney modernization scheme is meant to save the environment. Why not just help the drivers and operators convert their engines to run on environmentally friendly fuel? Further, if the government is sincere in its alleged love of the environment, then why the hell does it allow mining in Sibuyan Island?

I am not against modernization per se. The only permanent thing in this world is change, after all. But I am against the government’s neglect of its obligation to provide and regulate public transport, and uphold public interest over that of private corporations. Further, any change to an existing system—whether it be in education, administration of justice, industry, and so on—must be done with enough lead time to allow the stakeholders to adjust to the transition. It would be immoral and extremely unjust to expect people to keep abreast of the latest trends and technology without support from the government. As in education, even if 97 percent of students are doing well, there is no justification to leave the remaining 3 percent behind.

Today, even if some of our farmers are already using modern technology to till their fields, we are not slaughtering carabaos en masse. Similarly, why should we give up our equally beloved jeepneys which, besides being the repository of our memories, have also become distinctive symbols of our culture and of who we are as a people? They’re part of our postwar history and popular culture. This iconic vehicle also shows our creativity and resilience. Instead of phasing them out, why not improve them and make the design and engine conform to the environmental standards that the government envisions? Modernization here should be equated with co-creation and co-design.

In summary, I signify my solidarity with this transport strike because societal progress is worthless and an illusion without social justice. We want a just transition to modernization based on justice and not on arbitrary and discriminatory reasons. In the stirring words of Hyacenth Bendaña, daughter of a jeepney driver and organizer of transport advocacy group Move As One Coalition, “Iba-iba man po ang grupong pinanggalingan, iisa po ang tindig ng jeepney drivers natin: ‘Hindi po kami tutol sa modernisasyon. Ngunit nananawagan po kami ng makatarungang plano na hindi kami maiiwan.’ Modernisasyon po, hindi phaseout. Ang panawagan po namin: Allow us, ang pinakaapektadong sektor, na magco-design ng transition plan with the state. Handa po kaming tumulong … The priority is to have our jeepney drivers sit at the decision-making table.”

JOSE MARIO D. DE VEGA Assistant Professor Philosophy and Humanities Department National University’s College of Education, Arts, and Sciences

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Follow our news, recent searches, philippine drivers stage strike over plan to phase out jeepneys, ageing public transport vehicles, advertisement.

An activist holds a sign on top of a passenger jeepney during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Mar 6, 2023. (Photo: AP/Aaron Favila)

MANILA: Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike on Monday (Mar 6) to protest a government programme drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys , which have become a cultural icon, and other ageing public transport vehicles.

Officials, however, braced with contingencies, including the deployment of government vehicles to take stranded passengers. Other groups refused to join the weeklong strike that could keep more than 40,000 passenger jeepneys and vans off the streets in the Manila metropolis alone.

Protesting drivers and supporters held a noisy rally in suburban Quezon city in the capital region, then proceeded in a convoy to a government transport regulatory office to press their protest.

“We're calling on the public to support the transport strike in any way possible,” said Renato Reyes of the left-wing political alliance Bayan, which was backing the strike. “The inconvenience of the transport stoppage is temporary, but the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators would be long-term.”

At almost noon, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said no major transport disruption had been monitored. Other officials said government vehicles were deployed to carry commuters in some areas but did not immediately provide more details.

Morning rush-hour traffic was heavy as usual along major roads in Manila and nearby cities.

Bautista warned that protesting drivers who would resort to violence and coercion to stop passenger vehicles not joining the strike would face criminal charges.

The government transport modernisation programme, first launched in 2017, aims to replace dilapidated and dangerous passenger jeepneys and vans with modern vehicles, which have safety features and conform with carbon emissions standards. Vehicle owners have to join transport cooperatives and corporations for better transport management.

Opponents say most poor drivers could not afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys even with promised government financial aid.

Others said the programme would mean the demise of the gaudily decorated and brightly coloured jeepneys, which have been regarded as Manila's “King of the Road” and a showcase of Philippine culture on wheels.

The diesel-powered jeepneys evolved from US military jeeps that American forces left behind after World War II. The vehicles were modified and then reproduced, many with second-hand truck chassis, and for decades were the most popular form of land transport among the working class, even though they cough out dark fumes that have been blamed for Manila's notoriously polluted air.

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MMDA: Matindi ang naging epekto ng transport strike | ABS-CBN News

MMDA: Matindi ang naging epekto ng transport strike

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‘Welga kami!’ Transport strike spotlights jeepney modernization issues

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Jeepney drivers hold placards during the start participate in the week-long transport stike by groups opposing the government's plan on PUV modernization, along Agoncillo Street and Pedro Gil in Manila on March 6, 2023.

MANILA, Philippines – Several transport groups began a weeklong strike on Monday, March 6, in protest of the government’s modernization and consolidation program, which they fear would phase out operators of traditional jeepneys. 

“ Hanapbuhay ‘yung pinaglalaban natin ‘dito (We’re fighting for our livelihood),” Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena said during the early morning hours, as jeepney drivers began to arrive at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City to join the protest caravan.

In response, the government readied 1,680 vehicles to ferry stranded passengers and deployed around 18,000 police personnel to ensure peace and order. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also invited protesting transport groups to their office for a dialogue.

“ Marami po kaming iniisip na programa para maibsan itong modernization program…ang takot ng ating mga kapatid ho na ito hong modernization program ay magtatanggal ng kanilang hanapbuhay ,” said LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III in a press conference on Monday at the barricaded and police-guarded central office in Quezon City.

(We’re thinking of different programs to address the fear of drivers that this modernization program will take away their livelihood.)

Guadiz also said that the term “phaseout” is a misnomer, adding that “it’s not more of a phaseout, but more of an upgrading of the jeepney face.”

But protesting jeepney drivers and operators disagreed.

Why are jeepney drivers on strike?

In late February, the LTFRB issued a memorandum circular requiring all individual traditional jeepneys to consolidate into either a cooperative or a corporation by June 30. This meant that individual operators would need to surrender their franchises and join a group – or else they’re off the road by July.

The LTFRB has since extended that deadline to December 31 ahead of a Senate hearing about the modernization program.  (READ: Senate: Transport execs ‘not ready’ for jeepney modernization )

Still, the jeepney operators on strike said that what they needed wasn’t a longer deadline, but instead stronger financial support from the government to consolidate and upgrade their fleets.

“ Binobola lang ‘ho kami. Parang bata na pa-consuelo de bobo, bibigyan ka ng candy para lang tumahimik ka ,” said Valbuena, as the protesting groups lined up their jeepneys for a caravan drive from the LTFRB office in Quezon City to Mendiola Street near Malacañang in the city of Manila.

(They’re just fooling us. They’re treating us like kids being given candy to keep quiet.)

“ Dapat kung mismo pong si BBM [Bongbong Marcos] ay seryoso doon sa kaniyang panawagan, maglabas siya ng executive order na sinususpende niya ang implementation ng 2017-011 , ang Omnibus Franchising Guideline,” said PISTON national president Mody Floranda during the transport strike.

(If President BBM is serious about his message, he should release an executive order to suspend the implementation of 2017-011, or the Omnibus Franchising Guideline.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously said that the modernization program should be implemented “ in a different way ,” suggesting a longer timetable and an inspection of older vehicles for road-worthiness before being phased out.

Marcos’ broken promise: Why jeepney drivers protest modernization

The main worry of protesting jeepney operators and drivers centers around the high cost of the consolidation and modernization program, such as when forming a cooperative. According to the Office of Transportation Cooperatives, jeepney operators must raise P300,000 in paid-up capital. Operators may have to spend between P20,000 to P30,000 each to comply with other requirements, such as clearing their income tax returns. For a cooperative of 15 operators, they may need P750,000.

Under the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, cooperatives and corporations will also be required to eventually upgrade their fleet into modern jeepneys, which can cost up to P2.5 million per unit. The government allows cooperatives to secure loans for these vehicles through the state-owned banks, but jeepney drivers and operators – who already subsist on low wages – must then work to pay off millions in debt and interest. 

Valbuena argued that having individual operators surrender their franchise and take on millions in debt puts them at risk of being phased out, especially for those who have less viable routes.

Similar sentiments were shared even by drivers and operators who continued to ply their routes during Monday’s strike. Lando, a jeepney driver plying Commonwealth Avenue, told Rappler that although he did not join the strike, he still opposed the government’s plan to modernize by letting drivers and operators buy new units on loan.

“ Sino ‘bang may gugustuhin na isang taong bibigyan mo ng utang ?” he said. “ Kahit sinong tanungin nilang tao, may utang o wala? Ay, napakasarap ang walang utang! E bakit kailangan nila magproduce sila ng utang? Kung gusto nila ikagaganda ng bansa natin, magproduce silang hindi utang! Para umunlad nag bansa natin .”

(Who would want to take on debt? Ask anyone: do you want to be in debt or not? It feels so great not having any debts! Why do they need to produce something that puts us in debt? If they want what’s best for this country, they’ll produce it without any loans! That’s how our country can progress.)

What is the government’s response?

The LTFRB emphasized that it was willing to adjust their requirements to the needs of transport groups. 

For instance, Guadiz said that the LTFRB will allow old jeepney units to still be used, so long as they are rehabilitated and made to comply with Philippine national standard of jeepneys.

Guadiz said that the rehabilitated jeepneys would cost P1.3 million, and have improvements like a higher ceiling, entry points at the back and side of the vehicle, and a more environmentally-friendly Euro 4 engine. The body of the rehabilitated jeepney can be locally-made, but its engine must be imported as there is no local manufacturing industry yet that can produce engines meeting national standards. 

The LTFRB is also willing to further extend its deadlines for route rationalization and modernization, but it maintained that the consolidation requirement was non-negotiable.

Meanwhile, the first day of the transport strike was peaceful, according to Police Colonel Roman Arugay, Operations Officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-National Capital Region Police Office.

“No major untoward incidents were reported except for minor ones, such as PUV drivers who held demonstrations, protesters who obstructed streets, and coerced PUV drivers to join the protest. No injuries or harm occurred. No arrest has been made,” said Arugay in a statement.

Ahead of the strike, the government assembled an interagency monitoring team to dispatch vehicles to assist commuters who may be stranded by the strike. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that only 88 of the 1,680 vehicles readied were deployed to provide free rides for 3,584 passengers.

The MMDA’s expanded number-coding scheme also resumed on Tuesday, March 7, as the agency monitored moderate traffic passing major roads during the suspension of the number-coding scheme on Monday.

How did the strike affect commuters so far?

Transport group Manibela claimed 80% of jeepney operators joined the protest, but this was contested by the government, based on on-the-ground monitoring. The LTFRB said during its press conference that only 5% of routes nationwide were affected, and only 10% in Metro Manila. 

Rappler’s own monitoring of the morning situation along Commonwealth Avenue showed nearly empty traditional jeepneys, modern jeepneys, and city buses all picking up the thin lines of commuters along the road. Lando, the jeepney driver plying a route along Commonwealth, also confirmed that there were less passengers than usual on Monday.

A conductor of a minibus along Commonwealth also told Rappler that commuters were few and far between, as minibuses waited in line for passengers at the terminal. 

“ Parang walang pila po ngayon boss e. Holiday po ba ? (There’s no commuters waiting in line. Is it a holiday?)” he said.

WATCH: While against jeepney phaseout, some drivers opt out of strike for commuters’ sake

Most schools shifted to online learning in response to the transport strike, which could be one reason for the apparent decline in commuters on Monday.

Rappler also monitored no crowds at a Guadalupe jeepney terminal during the afternoon rush hour, although passengers of the traditional jeepneys there shared different commuting experiences 

“ Mahirap sumakay (It’s hard to catch a ride),” said Rose, a passenger at the Guadalupe jeepney terminal. “ Konti talaga. Hassle para samin na empleyado at trabahador (There really are few jeeps. It’s a hassle for us employees).”

Meanwhile, Maria Perez shared that both her morning and afternoon commute was much less crowded.

“ Maaga nga kaming umuwi kasi baka kako walang masakyan e. ‘Yun pala maraming masasakyan ,” Perez said.

(We went home early because we were worried that there’d be no jeeps to ride. But apparently, there’s a lot.)

When asked about her thoughts on the jeepney modernization program as a commuter, Perez echoed sentiments raised by jeepney drivers throughout the strike.

“ Okay naman kaso kawawa naman ‘yung mga jeep kasi. Para sakin, okay naman huwag palitan. Basta ayusin lang ng mga jeepney owners ‘yung mga jeep nila ,” she said. “ Dito tayo nakilala sa Pilipinas na ‘yung jeep e tayo lang ang meron tapos biglang aalisin? ”

(It’s okay, but I feel bad for the jeepneys. For me, it’s okay but we shouldn’t change them. We should just let the jeepney owners fix their jeeps. The Philippines became recognized because only we have the jeep, and now they’re going to suddenly take that away?) – Rappler.com

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A Push To Modernize Philippine Transport Threatens The Beloved Jeepney

Ashley Westerman

Jeepneys, often known in the Philippines as "King of the Road," join traffic on a busy street in Manila last May. Authorities are moving to phase them out, citing pollution and safety concerns. Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Jeepneys, often known in the Philippines as "King of the Road," join traffic on a busy street in Manila last May. Authorities are moving to phase them out, citing pollution and safety concerns.

Down a dark, cramped alleyway in the heart of densely packed Manila, a resistance movement is holding strong.

The movement is focused on protecting a beloved Philippine form of public transport, the passenger truck known as the jeepney — but to reach its headquarters in a nearly hidden lane, it's a good idea to ditch your own vehicle. The lane is so narrow that even the slightest wrong move could result in scratches or a dislodged side-view mirror from hitting a wall.

Outside the office's metal gate is a beat-up jeepney with a sign reading: "Ibasura ang Jeepney Phaseout!" or "No To Jeepney Phaseout!"

Inside, George San Mateo sits eating his dinner. He's a warm, welcoming man sporting a salt-and-pepper goatee, glasses and a newsboy cap. San Mateo, 51, has been a driver for almost three decades and now heads the transport rights group Piston, short for Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide, or "unified nationwide organization of drivers and operators." It's in this role that he's leading the resistance to a government plan to "modernize" old jeepneys and replace them with newer, more eco-friendly models.

A jeepney adorned with eye-catching lettering sits parked in at a gas station in Calamba, Leguna, about an hour south of the capital Manila. Jeepneys often sport a name, phrase or symbol important to their driver. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

A jeepney adorned with eye-catching lettering sits parked in at a gas station in Calamba, Leguna, about an hour south of the capital Manila. Jeepneys often sport a name, phrase or symbol important to their driver.

"Piston has no problem with modernization because we consider ourselves progressive," San Mateo says. "We are progressive, so we are not anti-development. But the problem with the modernization program ...it is anti-poor and profit-oriented."

Jeepneys have become synonymous with Philippine daily life. The first were cobbled together using parts of surplus Jeeps left behind by American troops after World War II. The Filipinos converted them into transport vehicles that could hold between 15 to 20 people at a time (though not all those passengers may actually fit inside the vehicle).

George San Mateo is the leader of Piston, a nationwide transportation workers' rights group in the Philippines. He's called on President Rodrigo Duterte to scrap the current transport modernization plan and create a new one focusing on nationalizing transport. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

George San Mateo is the leader of Piston, a nationwide transportation workers' rights group in the Philippines. He's called on President Rodrigo Duterte to scrap the current transport modernization plan and create a new one focusing on nationalizing transport.

"The reason why jeepneys became the dominant mode of transport [is] because after World War II, the government did not establish a mass transport system," San Mateo explains.

Though numbers are hard to come by, various estimates say there are somewhere between 180,000 and 270,000 franchised jeepneys on the road across the Philippines, with some 75,000 in Metro Manila alone. Studies have shown they are the country's most popular mode of transportation, taking millions to and from work every day. They're easy to spot on the traffic-choked roads, often painted with bright colors and adorned with flashy ornaments. Many jeepneys sport names or slogans painted in big, elaborate fonts.

Passengers ride in a jeepney in Manila. Depending on the size, a jeepney can hold up to 20 people. While the vehicles have designated routes, they don't have designated stops, meaning riders hop on and hop off whenever they choose. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

Passengers ride in a jeepney in Manila. Depending on the size, a jeepney can hold up to 20 people. While the vehicles have designated routes, they don't have designated stops, meaning riders hop on and hop off whenever they choose.

The jeepneys are often blamed for heavy traffic congestion because of their indiscriminate stopping and going to let people on and off. They have designated routes but no designated stops, so they operate much like hop-on-hop-off buses.

And while jeepney bodies have changed over time (almost all parts are now made overseas and shipped to the Philippines to be assembled), the vehicles are notorious polluters. While jeepneys can run on both gasoline and diesel, a 2016 study by the Manila Observatory, a nonprofit science research institute, found that diesel-fed jeepneys were responsible for 15 percent of the particulate matter emissions in Metro Manila.

That's why the government of President Rodrigo Duterte plans to take all jeepneys 15 years or older off the roads and replace them with a more eco-friendly, minivan-like version that's bigger, safer and produces fewer emissions. The modernization plan started in January, and the government hopes to have all old jeepneys off the road by 2020.

But San Mateo says placing the blame for pollution solely on jeepneys is unfair in a city with so many other polluting vehicles. He says if the government didn't impose so many fees, fines and penalties on jeepney drivers and operators, they would have more money to maintain their sometimes dilapidated vehicles.

A jeepney crowned with the name "Morning Glory" navigates a Manila street during rush hour. Many jeepneys reach areas of the city where other public transit does not go. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

A jeepney crowned with the name "Morning Glory" navigates a Manila street during rush hour. Many jeepneys reach areas of the city where other public transit does not go.

In Metro Manila, a city of 12 million-plus and one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world, jeepneys are second only to walking when it comes to getting around. They're the cheapest option by far, with rides costing an average of 8 Filipino pisos, about 16 cents. Jeepneys are a popular option over the city's light rail system, taxis, commuter buses and even trikes — motorcycles with sidecars — across income levels, but especially for the poor. Despite a fast-growing economy, millions of Filipinos remain below the poverty line .

"Let us remember that jeepney commuters are some of the poorest of the poor in the Philippines," says Mateo. "Our vast passengers are not Uber-riding passengers, these are minimum-wage earners and their sons and daughters."

Jeepney drivers and operators don't earn a lot, either. San Mateo says a driver makes about 500 to 600 pisos, or about $11, for two days of work. Earnings depend on factors such as profitability of the route, passenger volume and seating capacity. San Mateo says top-of-the-line jeepneys today cost about 600,000 to 700,000 pisos, or $11,000 to $13,000. The new model the government wants them to purchase costs 1.6 million to 1.8 million pisos, or between $30,000 and $35,000.

San Mateo warns that the costs to run and maintain these newer models will be passed on to commuters in the form of increased fares.

"That's why there's a deadlock on this," says San Mateo. "So we have no choice but to fight back and launch transport strikes and transport protests."

Raffy Solongon (in rear-view mirror), 47, drives his jeepney through Makati City in Manila. He earns about $10 a day and is one of thousands of drivers who say they can't afford the new jeepney model the government wants them to buy. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

Raffy Solongon (in rear-view mirror), 47, drives his jeepney through Makati City in Manila. He earns about $10 a day and is one of thousands of drivers who say they can't afford the new jeepney model the government wants them to buy.

He wants President Duterte to scrap the current plan and work toward nationalizing the public transport system so drivers might get government help to buy or operate their jeepneys.

"What we want in a modernization program...[is] the framework should be socially just, democratic, public service-oriented and its long-term perspective should be nationalization of public transport," San Mateo says. "But government doesn't want that."

Last year, San Mateo helped organize two strikes: a jeepney drivers' strike in February, which San Mateo was arrested for leading , and a two-day, nationwide transport strike in October. The government has filed a case against San Mateo in connection with the October strike.

"You're poor?" Duterte snapped in a speech, addressing drivers during the October protests. "Son of a bitch, suffer hardship and hunger. I don't care."

Duterte's administration has rebuffed criticism that the plan is "anti-poor," and claims its goal is not to completely phase out jeepneys, but to make them more efficient and profitable. It wants to establish new routes with designated drop-off and load points and restructure and consolidate the ownership of jeepneys.

Riders seem split on the issue.

"It's better for the environment," says Win Tan, who rides a jeepney to work every day to her job as a car rental assistant. "But for the operators, it's not that good."

Cath Volentino is a tax consultant who has been riding jeepneys since she was a kid.

Jeepneys line up at a depot in Makati City in Manila. Jeepneys are the main mode of transportation for Filipinos nationwide, moving millions to and from work every day. Ashley Westerman/NPR hide caption

Jeepneys line up at a depot in Makati City in Manila. Jeepneys are the main mode of transportation for Filipinos nationwide, moving millions to and from work every day.

"The government is quite right that people need to have a better ride, but how about those jeepney drivers that can't afford to have a new jeepney?" she says. "It's okay if the government wants to provide for them, but it's quite a hassle."

Jose Gamo, who has also been riding jeepneys since he was a child, says the government's plan could lead to chaos for commuters.

"I think the government needs better time to help the jeepney operators adjust to the change, as well as help the commuters," he says. "Because if you phase out everything, there won't be enough new jeepneys immediately. So you need better planning for transition."

Gamo says he can't imagine a Manila without the jeepneys he knows and loves.

"It's going to be incredibly hard to get around anywhere," he says.

Back at Piston's headquarters, San Mateo says he and his fellow jeepney drivers have no intention of letting that happen.

"We are not yet giving up," he says, "so we are not yet entertaining a post-defeat scenario."

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Philippines: Why ‘jeepney’ drivers declared a weeklong strike

Asia philippines.

Group representing 40,000 ‘jeepney’ transport drivers to hold transport strike next week

• A driver's group that claims 40,000 members plans a transport strike from March 6 to March 12, 2023.
• Modernisation programme calls for phaseout of the iconic jeepneys, which could completely disappear from Philippine roads from December 31, 2023.
• Minibuses or e-jeepneys are favoured, and could completely cripple the local jeepney manufacturing.
• Importers of new units could reap bumper profits, with benefits to local e-jeepney makers unclear.

Manila: Filipino drivers of traditional “jeepneys” are staging a transport strike from March 6, 2023, a group that claims 40,000 driver-members said.

The protest action is being spearheaded by the group Manibela. Their call: Stop the government’s plan to “phase out” old transport Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) by June 30, 2023.

The main issue: money. The would-be strikers want the government to raise the subsidy from the current Php200,000 per jeepney to be phased out to enable them to purchase a new minibus, or an e-jeepney that costs at least seven times more.

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Jeepneys are relics of World War II. Willys Jeeps left behind by US forces were transformed into colourful contraptions that show what's described as Filipino ingenuity. Over the past decades, the design hasn't changed much.

They're considered dinosaurs. Some pretty, bust mosly ugly — but useful — kind of rolling dinosaurs. With very little in the way of safety features, they are powered today mostly by reconditioned diesel engines discarded by Japan, and put together in backyard assemblies.

They're built tough, the workhorse of last-mile transport, and is considered a poor man’s mode of daily commute. And because there's no mandatory retirement age for commercial vehicles in the Philippines, many jeepneys are simply too old, battered, undesirable, unsafe. But every Filipino's emotional connection to them cannot be denied.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr seems to have taken the striking drivers’ side for now. He seems to be their only hope.

What we know so far:

What is PUJ/PUV modernisation?

In 2017, the Philippine government launched the Public Utility Vehicle Modernisation Programme (PUVMP). It seeks to change the landscape of public transportation.

In general, the program calls for the phasing-out of jeepneys, buses and other Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) that are at least 15 years old, and replacing them with safer, more comfortable and more eco-friendly alternatives over the next three years (2018-2020). This only happened in part.

In practice, it sought to replace ALL traditional jeepneys with mostly imported minibuses. Hundreds of transport cooperatives have been formed in cities and provinces, representing thousands of units of modern PUVs.  

When is the start of the phaseout?

Everything rests on a date: June 30, 2023. That’s the end-date by which owners and drivers of traditional jeepneys must be phased-out. The Land Transport Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is the state's implementor. Following the ruckus and an appeal from the President, the deadline has been extended to December 31, 2023.

Now, if operators want to keep their franchise beyond December 31, 2023, they have to purchase a new, modern minibus before the deadline.

How the phaseout will be conducted:

• Change of ownership: Drivers and operators must form or be a part of a cooperative in order to purchase modernised jeepney at the cost of Php 1.3 to Php2.4 million per unit.
• Fleet management: Cooperatives or corporations will manage the fleet; and the vehicles will be under the name of cooperatives/corporations.
• Route rationalisation: All routes will be reviewed; based on this, the new vehicles will be allocated based on user data.
• Biggest winners: Those who stand to win big are importers of minibuses, lender/banks who will charge 6% p.a. interest and fleet management companies.

• 100%: New minibuses that will replace the old jeepneys (PUJs) will all be 100% imported units and spare parts.

• 500,000: Estimated number of PUJ drivers will be affected, including 300,000 operators.

What are the strikers’ demands?

Drivers led by Manibela oppose the Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) modernisation plan being implemented by the Department of Transportation (DoTr).

They seek the withdrawal of Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) Memorandum Circular No. 2023-013.

Highlights of the memorandum:

• It sets a June 30, 2023 deadline for individual operators to join the modernisation program — by forming a cooperative or corporation — or risk losing their franchises, and therefore their jobs.

• Driver or operators will be mandated to fork out between Php1.3 to Php2.5 million (about $45,536.5) per unit to buy a modern PUV to replace all the passenger jeepneys being phased out.

• Following an appeal from President Marcos Jr, the deadline has since been extended to December 31 by the LTFRB to give jeepney operators more time.

What are the terms for acquiring modern PUVs?

• Modern jeeps will be given by government to existing jeepney drivers as a loan — 7 years to pay, with 6% interest and 5% equity.

• Overall, payment for the initial price of Php2.4 million per unit would reach Php3.4 million plus over the payment period.

•  Big players who have the capital could ringfence the ownership and operation of replacement e-jeepneys — they have the buying power to raise the amount needed to buy 15 imported modern jeeps (at Php2.4 million each) for one route.

• For example, in 2022, top Filipino businessman Manny Pangilinan has invested 500 new jeeps. He then announced that he earmarked Php1.5 billion to buy additional 530 e-jeepneys to cover 35 routes in the country by 2027.

• Operators and their supporters say the numbers are stacked against them — and ordinary drivers won’t be able to afford full payment of the replacement, modern PUVs.

• Supporters of the transport strike are also calling for the nationalisation of the transport system, and increase funding support for safe, accessible and quality public transport.

What happens after December 31, 2023?

Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena, said that the now-extended deadline still means traditional passenger jeepneys will be impounded after December 31, 2023. To retrieve an impounded vehicle, it would cost around Php50,000 ($1,000).

What do authorities say about the impending strike?

The head of LTFRB has said the striking drivers represent only about 10 per cent of the public transport vehicles.

“There is no pressure on us, more than 90 percent of transport groups have signified support but due to Senate resolution and based on the request of the DOTR, we will be extending the deadline to allow the transport sector time to consolidate,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III told local media.

Is there a change of policy?

There is only a change in timeline, but the PUV Modernisation Programme still stands.

Guadiz said they will be issuing a new memorandum circular that will supersede the LTFRB Memorandum 2023—013 in the coming days—the content of which basically extends the deadline for the consolidation. But he said the concerns raised by the transport groups will also be considered in their discussion.

Who are the groups joining the strike?

A nationwide transport strike was declared on February 27 by Manibela, led by its chairperson Mar Valbuena.

How many jeepneys or drivers will join the strike?

The group claims that the week-long strike will involve an estimated 40,000 jeepneys and Utility Vehicles (UV) express units.

Manibela has urged other transport groups to join the nationwide transport strike.

Will all public transport drivers and operator groups be joining the strike?

Not everyone is joining. At least eight clusters representing some of the biggest transport groups in the country have stated they won’t join next week’s strike, according to Romando Artes, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

• Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston),
• Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap),
• UV Express group,
• Association of Concerned Transport Organizations (Acto),
• Pasang Masda,
• Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP),
• The Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap), and
• Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Service Cooperative (Nomfedtrasco)

Nomfedtrasco claims they have 47 primary transport service member-cooperatives. There were at least 20 transport service cooperative members that already have operational modernised units — and are therefor not covered by the jeepney phaseout order — comprising 45 per cent of its membership.

What help does the government offer to owners of PUJs?

To boost their purchasing power, the government is urging drivers/owners or “operators” to form cooperatives. That way, they will have greater borrowing capacity when they apply for bank loans to replace the aging jeepneys.

The government also offers Php200,000 (about $4,000) for each PUJ that will be phased out.

What do the strikers say about this offer?

They say it’s not enough. That in order to buy e-jeeps —and given the relatively small income of daily earnings of drivers — drivers and operators say that they won’t be able to pay for the mortgage. They claim it will be a huge burden — and they feat it will bury them in debt.

Do the strikers oppose transport modernisation?

No. The drivers and operators say they do not oppose modernisation per se. Even the drivers and operators favour the move to modernise transport.

“If government really wants to push modernisation, they should support the jeepney drivers/operators and fully subsidise the modernisation,” according a statement in Tagalog.

What will happen during the strike?

A number of schools and universities have announced the suspension of in-person classes during the jeepney strike week. In the capital Manila, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ateneo, Miriam College, the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) announced that all in-person classes, starting from March 6 to 11, 2023, will shift online.

What did Filipino leaders say about the planned protest strike?

On Wednesday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., urged transport groups to call off their planned week-long strike.

While the president assured transport groups government would tweak the implementation of the PUV modernisation programme, he pushed back on calls to completely junk the plan. He said it was “necessary” to modernise public transport — though he admitted that its implementation was “not good”.

What do experts say about PUVMP?

A 2020 paper prepared by the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department of the House of Representatives (lower legislative chamber) analysed the programme and found that implementation is beset by loopholes.

What the study found:

• “Right sequencing” of activities and programmes in the implementation of the PUVMP is “very critical”.
• The study suggested, for instance, that before embarking on fleet modernisation, the programme should have started with regulatory reform, Local Public Transport Route Plan formulation and submission, and route rationalisation.
• Additional grace period and more time should be given to operators and drivers to prepare.
• “This would give stakeholders better appreciation of the programme,” the Congressional document stated.

Will all jeepneys be decommissioned?

It's not clear.  President Marcos Jr, said: “We have to implement it in a different way,” adding that he was against decommissioning jeepneys that are still safe to use.

According to him, “there are old ones that are still OK” and “that can still be used.”

The President also pointed out that the modernization program was “not urgent,” particularly the use of electric vehicles, as there is not yet enough infrastructure, such as charging stations for modern transport.

“Maybe we have to look properly at what the real timetable is for the introduction of electric vehicles, as to when exactly, if it is possible now,” he said.

What about the shift to e-vehicles or e-jeepneys?

The PUV modernisation programme is seen as the first step in the government’s shift to electric vehicles. “We will eventually move there but we still need to fix the supply of renewables,” the president said.

“So those are the issues that need to be studied. It’s not that simple, but I’m hoping that with the initiatives we’re thinking of, we can convince the transport groups not to go on strike because the people will suffer and many more will suffer since they won’t be able to go to work,” he noted.

What happens if the jeepney strike pushes through?

President Marcos Jr said if the concerned transport groups refuse to heed his call to cancel their strike, the government would provide free rides to commuters from March 6 to March 12.

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Philippines Jeepney strike drives home modernisation concerns

President instructs agencies to reconsider proposals amid concerns about the effect on drivers’ livelihoods.

Manila, Philippines – Some 100,000 jeepney drivers in the Philippines have ended a strike over government plans to phase out one of the country’s most ubiquitous but polluting forms of public transport amid hopes the initiative will be changed.

Transport unions Piston and Manibela began the action on March 6, prompting schools in Metro Manila and many other areas to move teaching online and other businesses to work from home.

Jeepneys , which originated at the end of World War II when enterprising Filipinos repurposed old jeeps left by the United States army into public minibuses able to carry as many as 25 people at a time, are today the cheapest and most common form of commuter transport in the country.

The roads in Manila were noticeably quieter as Piston declared that 90 percent of the capital’s jeepney routes had been suspended. It was a similar situation elsewhere in the country.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which is overseeing the government plan, downplayed the impact of the strike. On Tuesday, however, union leaders were called to the presidential palace for a closed-door meeting.

Speaking on Wednesday, Manibela’s Chairman Mar Valbuena said drivers would “hold onto the statement of our beloved President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr that the administration is open to studying and revising the (plan) to maintain the livelihood of drivers and operators”.

At issue is the PUV Modernisation Programme (PUVMP) , which was first announced in 2017 and includes replacing diesel-based jeepneys that are 15 or more years old with newer, cleaner minibuses, as well as the consolidation of operators and drivers into cooperatives.

The LTFRB initially declared April 1 would be the “last trip” for the older vehicles but amid strong opposition from transport groups, it moved the deadline to June and, finally, to December 31. After that, jeepneys that have not complied with the PUVMP will be banned.

“An execution is still an execution if you just move the date,” Piston Chairperson Modesto Floranda told Al Jazeera. “The government is massacring our livelihood.”

‘Kings of the road’

Jeepneys are dubbed the ‘kings of the road’ and their drivers work through franchises based on a licence to operate provided by the government.

A franchise holder usually owns at least one jeepney and often hires several drivers who ply the route in shifts. Under the PUVMP, drivers and owners will have to form a cooperative, which government officials say will improve efficiency.

According to the LTFRB, there are about 158,000 traditional jeepneys in the country, while 5,300 modern jeepneys with air conditioning and security cameras are already on the road.

Piston, the transport union, says the cost of modernisation is too steep.

Drivers are required to shoulder costs of up to 2.8 million Philippine pesos ($50,800) to replace their vehicles and will need enough for at least 15 vehicles to start a cooperative. Meanwhile, the government is only offering to subsidise 5.7 percent of each new vehicle and many drivers fear they will lose their livelihood unit.

“Who would not want a more efficient and comfortable vehicle? We earn barely enough to survive. We’d like a modernisation that caters to the needs of the transport sector. But this is modernisation that favours big business and is a bane to the commuting public as well,” said Floranda.

Floranda says more expensive jeepney models will inevitably lead drivers to increase fares just so they can pay off debts and other operational expenses.

A recent study by the University of the Philippines estimated minimum jeepney fares could rise by 300 percent as a result of the PUVMP.

The study warned of two “’blind sides’: the high price per unit of the modern jeepney and the domino effect of a possible jeepney fare hike to cover the cost of purchasing modern jeepney units”.

It said fare increases would probably lead to higher living costs as it would become more expensive to move food and other necessities.

The jeepney drivers taking part in the strike have labelled the programme a “corporate takeover” because modern jeepneys mean partnering with foreign carmakers such as Hino Toyota, Hyundai and Fuso Mitsubishi.

Struggle to survive

A few days before the strike, jeepney driver Juny Bendoy circled his route for 16 hours instead of the usual 12 just to ensure he had enough money to see him through the industrial action.

Bendoy, the vice president of the Novaliches Transport Coalition, one of the biggest in Metro Manila, called his extra hours a “necessary sacrifice”.

“Why are they forcing us into an impossible position?” Bendoy said. “We’ve been through so much, they are not letting up in making our lives harder.”

Drivers say they have struggled with barely any help from the government during the pandemic, when jeepneys were banned from the roads for more than a year, as well as with the successive fuel price hikes.

“And now we have to contend with the phase-out. We don’t have any days off. We keep our eyes open because the moment we close them, our jeepneys might be taken from us,” Bendoy told Al Jazeera.

On average, Bendoy brings home $3.6 a day after expenses, not nearly enough to save for modernisation, which he says will “bury us in debt”.

Nick Ventura, 43, an officer at the Novaliches-Blumentritt Operators and Drivers Association, declined to join a franchise cooperative when he moved back to the Philippines after working as a driver in Qatar.

“I came back to the country because I was told there was a better programme for us drivers. But I couldn’t afford the downpayment. I also couldn’t wait around for seven months for the new unit to arrive. And I didn’t think that a daily boundary of 2,500 Philippine pesos ($45) was acceptable. That would mean I’d have to work for nearly 24 hours just to take home a decent amount,” he said.

Drivers currently pay a quota fee or “boundary” to the jeepney owner so they can drive the vehicle. For Ventura, this fee is $9. While the drivers do not get a wage, they get to keep whatever is left after paying the quota and paying for fuel.

Under the new system, they will be paid a daily wage but will still have to pay a quota, depending on the route. Piston says drivers are reluctant to engage with the system because wages will be low while quotas will be high.

In the run-up to the presidential election in 2022, then-candidate Marcos Jr promised that he would back the interests of drivers, winning their support for his campaign.

Now that he is in office, some feel they have been misled.

“He broke his promise. He told us that as long as our vehicles passed the emissions testing, we would be able to provide a public service,” said Ventura.

Ahead of the strike, Marcos told reporters that while he still favoured modernisation, he did not think it was being “implemented well”.

He also appealed to Piston and Manibela to reconsider for the sake of commuters. “More people will suffer because they cannot go to work,” he said.

Meanwhile, there are moves in the upper house on a resolution to postpone the phase-out plans.

“The LTFRB should not coerce PUV operators into complying with their guidelines without addressing the sector’s concerns, particularly on the high capital costs of acquiring modern jeepneys,” said Senator Grace Poe, who is leading the resolution.

After the presidential meeting, Marcos Jr instructed officials to look at the plan again to “ensure a better implementation of the PUVMP and emphasise that the programme centres on drivers, operators and commuters especially”.

He insisted there would be no change to the deadline.

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Drivers strike over plan to remove aging Philippine jeepneys

An activist holds a sign on top of a passenger jeepney during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man walks over rush hour traffic during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Passengers wait for a ride during morning rush hour as passenger jeepney groups hold a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A jeepney driver shouts slogans during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

An activist arranges a slogan on a passenger jeepney during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A driver looks out from his passenger jeepney as he joins a rally during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters board a free bus ride during a passenger jeepney strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

An activist holds a sign as he passes by a passenger jeepney during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters wait for a ride during a passenger jeepney strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters wait for a ride during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters rush to ride a bus during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

An activist holds a slogan as they join a rally during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters are reflected on the windshield of a bus as they wait for a ride during a transport strike in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, March 6, 2023. Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon, and other aging public transport vehicles. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine transport groups launched a nationwide strike Monday to protest a government program drivers fear would phase out traditional jeepneys, which have become a cultural icon , and other aging public transport vehicles.

Officials, however, braced with contingencies and deployed government vehicles to take stranded passengers in some areas. Other groups refused to join the weeklong strike that could keep more than 40,000 passenger jeepneys and vans off the streets in the Manila metropolis alone.

Protesting drivers and supporters held a noisy rally in suburban Quezon city in the capital region, then proceeded in a convoy to a government transport regulatory office to press their protest.

“We’re calling on the public to support the transport strike in any way possible,” said Renato Reyes of the left-wing political alliance Bayan, which was backing the strike. “The inconvenience of the transport stoppage is temporary, but the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators would be long-term.”

At almost noon, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said no major transport disruption had been monitored. Other officials said government vehicles were deployed to carry commuters in some areas but did not immediately provide more details.

Morning rush-hour traffic was heavy as usual in major roads in Manila and nearby cities.

“There is no disruption except in a handful of routes in the national capital region,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office said by noon, citing reports from law enforcers.

Bautista warned that protesting drivers who would resort to violence and coercion to stop passenger vehicles not joining the strike would face criminal charges.

Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as education secretary, drew criticisms after saying the strike is a communist rebel-inspired action that may inconvenience students.

The government transport modernization program, first launched in 2017, aims to replace dangerously dilapidated and old passenger jeepneys and vans with modern vehicles, which have safety features and conform with carbon emissions standards. Vehicle owners have to join transport cooperatives and corporations by year’s end for better transport management.

Opponents say most poor drivers could not afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys even with promised government financial aid.

“It’s OK to have modernization for those who have money,” jeepney driver Benito Garcia told The Associated Press. “But for us jeepney drivers and operators, we cannot afford.”

Others said the program would mean the demise of the gaudily decorated and brightly colored jeepneys, which have been regarded as Manila’s “King of the Road” and a showcase of Philippine culture on wheels.

The diesel-powered jeepneys evolved from U.S. military jeeps that American forces left behind after World War II. The vehicles were modified and then reproduced, many with second-hand truck chassis, and for decades were the most popular form of land transport among the working class, even though they cough out dark fumes that have been blamed for Manila’s notoriously polluted air.

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Transport strike hits Metro Manila, other parts of PH

ANOTHER ORDEAL FOR THE WORK FORCE Commuters on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City coping with Monday’s nationwide strike by jeepney and UV Express drivers. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — It’s a drama that’s becoming predictable.

Jeepney drivers would stage a strike and claim victory, and the government would declare the mass action in Metro Manila a failure, even as it conveniently ignores strikes in other parts of the country.

And so it was on Monday during the transport strike against the phaseout of old jeepneys by July 2020.

The mass action was the 12th against the government program over the past two and a half years.

The nationwide transport strike, which prompted class and work suspensions and left many commuters stranded, was a victory for drivers protesting the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, organizers said.

Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (Acto) president Efren de Luna claimed 90 percent of jeepney drivers and 80 percent of UV Express drivers across the country stopped their operations on Monday, which would mean more than 500,000 drivers overall.

Transport groups in Mindanao did not join the mass action. One group instead staged a picket.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said movement in most commuter hubs in Metro Manila normalized quickly.

Shuttle services

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the impact of the strike was minimized as local governments provided shuttle services for stranded passengers.

“Were they successful? No. Because the government will never allow them to be successful,” MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said.

The Alyansa Laban sa PUV Phaseout—which includes Acto, Piston, Stop and Go Coalition, Federation of UV Express in Luzon and No To Jeepney Phaseout Coalition—wanted to register its objection to the July 1, 2020, deadline given by the LTFRB, after which older vehicles will be phased out.

Operators are required under the modernization program to replace their jeepneys with vehicles that have Euro-4 compliant engines, which would cost P1.4 million per jeep for a fleet of 10.

Drivers and operators said they could not afford to pay up P20,000 per month, or P800 a day to cover the amortization, because of the rising prices of diesel and gasoline.

LTFRB Chair Martin Delgra said the success of the strike was a “matter of perspective,” arguing that a lot more groups are supportive of the modernization program.

But De Luna said Delgra should go into the streets and see for himself what the strike had been like.

He also disputed the characterization of the MMDA, which claimed that the strike was unsuccessful because it failed to paralyze the metropolis.

“How would it have been possible for commuters to be stranded en masse when school and work had been canceled?” De Luna said.

“They should look at the number of drivers who participated instead of the number of people who were stranded.”

Classes suspended

Anticipating the potential impact of the strike, the MMDA had lifted number coding for all PUVs and the mayors of the cities of Pasay, Manila, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Pasig, Las Piñas, Caloocan and Valenzuela had suspended classes.

Organizers have said that the livelihood of 500,000 jeepney drivers and 80,000 UV Express drivers are imperiled by the modernization program.

The issue, they say, is not modernization per se but the “impossible” compliance requirements and lack of job security.

The groups argue that asking them to surrender their individual franchises and form cooperatives opens the floodgates for corporations to swoop in and control their operations.

Angelito dela Rosa, president of Samahang Victory Operators-Drivers ng Malabon, Acacia and Monumento, said his group was fighting for a good cause.

“We only want to have a voice. Imagine if your own father was a jeepney driver and he was forced to pay millions of pesos for an upgrade. How can he afford that? How can he even send his children to school?” Dela Rosa said.

Despite the large number of participants cited by the protest leaders, some groups in the strike refused to participate, including jeepney cooperative Pasang Masda.

At a press briefing, Obet Martin, Pasang Masda president, said the three-year transition period initially set by the Department of Transportation to operators was sufficient.

In the City of San Fernando, Allan Bonifacio, Piston coordinator in Central Luzon, said PUVs stopped plying their routes starting 1 a.m. on Monday.

Jeepney drivers and operators in Angeles City joined the strike through a symbolic protest in front of the LTFRB regional office.

In Baguio City, about 300 jeepney operators and drivers from 18 associations and two federations joined the strike.

Fifty members of Piston-Cagayan Valley took part in a caravan and picket in Santiago City.

In key cities in Laguna province and elsewhere in Southern Tagalong during Monday morning’s rush hours, protesting jeepney drivers claimed paralyzing traffic by “almost 100 percent.”

In Laguna, where jeepneys are a major public transportation, traffic was paralyzed in the first and second districts of the province or from San Pedro City up to Los Baños town.

Many jeepneys from San Pablo City, where key terminals are located, also joined the protest.

Several local governments in Laguna, Quezon and Rizal called off school. Classes in schools throughout Cavite province were suspended.

The strike crippled 99 percent of PUV routes in Bacolod City. Diego Malacad, secretary general of United Negros Drivers Operators Center, claimed only a few PUVs were seen on city streets.

The strike prompted mayors in Negros Occidental to call off school.

No strike in Mindanao

The nationwide transport strike was hardly felt in Cagayan de Oro.

In Davao City, jeepney drivers and operators were against the government transport program but did not join the strike. Instead, they held a picket at the LTFRB office.

Their counterparts in Iligan City—the Coalition of Lanao Utility Transport for Change (Clutch) and its national ally the National Confederation of Transport Union—did not join the strike.

Raul Permites, Clutch chair, said the group staged a strike in February 2017 against the modernization, which Piston and allied groups did not join.

“[The government has already explained the] modernization program [to us] and we understand,” Permites said.

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In Zamboanga City, the Federation of Land Transportation put up tarpaulin signs to show support for the cause of their counterparts who mounted the strike. — REPORTS FROM MATTHEW REYSIO-CRUZ, DEXTER CABALZA, MEG ADONIS, TONETTE OREJAS, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., KIMBERLIE QUITASOL, CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, MARICAR CINCO, CARLA P. GOMEZ, JIGGER J. JERUSALEM, JULIANNE SUAREZ, DIVINA SUSON AND JULIE ALIPALA

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Philippine Jeepney, Bus Drivers Begin Week-Long Transport Strike

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Transport groups oppose a government modernization plan that they say could threaten the country’s iconic jeepney.

Philippine transport groups yesterday launched a weeklong, nationwide strike to protest a government transport modernization program that drivers say could threaten the country’s jeepneys – an important facet of Philippine culture and a source of livelihood for thousands.

According to The Associated Press, drivers and supporters marked the beginning of the strike with a noisy rally in Quezon City, a suburb of Manila, after which they proceeded in a convoy to a government transport regulatory office to press their protest. At least 100,000 jeepney drivers and operators are expected to take part in the strike.

“We’re calling on the public to support the transport strike in any way possible,” Renato Reyes Jr. of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, a left-wing political alliance Bayan, which was backing the strike, told the AP . “The inconvenience of the transport stoppage is temporary, but the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators would be long-term.”

The cause of the strike is the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program , launched by the Department of Transportation in 2017, which aims to replace old passenger jeepneys and buses with modern vehicles. Replacement vehicles are required to have electric engines or a Euro 4-compliant internal combustion engine, in addition to other safety features.

Opponents of the plan say that most jeepney drivers will not be able to afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys, even with the promised government subsidies. According to a report in The Guardian , a traditional diesel-powered jeepney costs between 150,000 to 250,000 Philippine pesos, while a modern jeepney that is Euro 4-compliant can cost as much as 10 times that.

The colorfully festooned jeepney is a totemic example of Filipino flamboyance and ingenuity. Originally adapted from military jeeps left by the U.S. Army after World War II, jeepneys have become a crucial part of the transport system in many Philippine cities, where mass public transport options are often limited or inefficient.

The centrality of the jeepney to the transport circuitry of Manila and other cities means that the strike, which could keep more than 40,000 passenger jeepneys and vans off the streets of Manila, is likely to create serious disruptions. Indeed, the local authorities in Manila and its various satellite suburbs have told schools to switch to distance learning classes , something that they are well familiar with following the extended COVID-19 lockdowns, for the duration of the strike. The local government of Quezon City, the most populous city in the Philippines, also called on businesses to work online where possible. Local governments have also made vehicles available to help the public go about their business.

The Department of Transport is right that some form of emissions upgrade for jeepneys is necessary. These “kings of the road” spew out thick diesel exhaust that contributes to the poor air quality in many Philippines cities. The question is how to improve the technology of these vehicles without impoverishing the thousands of drivers who rely on them for their livelihoods – often on very thin margins. According to one estimate , jeepney drivers take home average daily pay of 755 pesos (around $13.70).

While Philippine lawmakers have championed the interests of jeepney drivers, comments from government officials don’t offer much confidence in a mutual accommodation. Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the country’s education secretary, called the strike “communist-inspired” and “a painful interference in our efforts to address the learning gaps and other woes in our education system.” The fact that some in the Philippine establishment are willing to dismiss calls for better working conditions in this way only underlines the need for mass industrial action on the part of drivers.

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