COVID-19 Special Issue Volume 40, Issue 4
narratives
From policies to pandemic:
Jeepneys on their way to extinction Art Cedrik ROMERO
I
t was a spectacle, in the fast-paced city of New York to see a peculiar looking vehicle traversing its busy streets. Its sheen, almost optimus prime looking front and elongated body that can seat a large group of passengers, is unusual in its streets mostly crowded with taxis. The New York appearance of the Philippine Jeepney is not an everyday sight to see, especially not in America. Expectedly, posts of Filipino Pride flooded social media in brag about it, being an iconic moment. A cultural symbol, Jeepneys turned public transport staples in the tapestries of Filipino life, faces an uncertain future. While they are a visual feast of kitsch decoration, they also contribute to the crippling congestion and pollution, that the Duterte administration, in an inadvertent move, wishes to fix in a systemic change of sorts. Whereas the vision of streets filled with eco-friendly, solar-powered vehicles seems exemplary and promising, it's more than just a pipe dream. Detrimental to think, it could take thousands of vehicle out of service and endanger livelihood of drivers and others in the Jeepney industry. Thousands of job loss poses a great danger more than just the mere tarnishing of a renowned Filipino icon. ON THE LOSING SIDE In 2017, when the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program was first launched, many transport groups held several strikes nationwide in opposition. The decades-old mode of transport, entrenched not only in the lives of million Filipinos but in the national psyche, was called to modernize. The Department of Transportation issued Department Order No. 2017-011 (Re: Omnibus Guidelines on the Planning and Identification of Public Road Transportation Services and Franchise Issuance) or the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) was not just a mere modernization program, as per its site description. It is a "comprehensive system reform that will entirely change the public land transportation industry." Among the major components of the program is fleet modernization, based on extensive consultations with jeepney associations, as well as local and international manufacturers. It also features a regulatory reform and sets of new guidelines for the issuance of franchise on road based public transport services. It was received negatively by various transport groups prior to its launch. Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) strongly opposed to the idea of a modernized jeepney costing P1.4 million to P1.6 million—which will obviously drown drivers in debt and cause increased fare to commuters. Comprising around 2% of vehicular traffic in National Capital Region (NCR), government's promises of lighter traffic seems like a sham. According to Crispin B.
Beltran Resource Center (CBBRC), drivers, small-time independent operators and commuters will be at a loss while foreign and local companies can take advantage of the situation by monopolizing technology and increasing fares by up to 50 percent. THE PLIGHT AMIDST PANDEMIC Just as jeepneys navigating New York streets was an unusual sight, so are drivers-turned-beggars on our own streets, out on a desperate act produced by anti-poor policies. Displaced jeepney drivers resorted to begging, with no choice, in adherence to the restrictions imposed three months ago barring most public transport. With the threat of PUVMP and COVID-19, it completely immobilized thousands of drivers, jobless and destitute. Easing of lockdown policies aimed at salvaging our recessing economy, allowed newer passenger vehicles to operate under strict regulations. Howbeit, jeepney drivers remained on the sidelines. In what the people see as a continuous pattern of growing crackdowns on peaceful protests, included those ensnared was a group of six jeepney drivers. PISTON transport group had organized the rally, asking for permission to resume operations and to request government aid, which has been criticized for being insufficient. Said transport group has previously clashed with President Rodrigo Duterte. In 2017, amid a dispute over government plans to phase out jeepneys, Duterte said he would order the military and police to manage protests and told the group to be ready to face rubber bullets. PISTON-6, jailed while protesting for their livelihoods, was released on bail. Ironically, they were jailed for making themselves vulnerable to COVID-19 while protesting but their imprisonment led two of them to test positive. The cramped facility, with no hint of disinfection, led two of them, including the 72-yearold Elmer Cordero, at more grave health risks. As of this writing, jeepneys are still scarcely operating, with the socalled "king of the road" at the bottom of the public
transportation hierarchy. In 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte became controversial as he told this affected sector: “Mahirap kayo? P***ng ina, magtiis kayo sa hirap at gutom, wala akong pakialam (You’re poor? Son of a b****, endure hardship and hunger, I don’t care). It’s the majority of the Filipino people. Huwag ninyo ipasubo ang tao (Don’t endanger the public).” A scoff on PISTON and leftist groups protesting how the PUVMP is anti-poor. If by some God-given miracle, they survived the trials and tribulations of a global pandemic, the threat of PUVMP will still drive them to extinction. An uphill battle will continue once we're past this health emergency, with them, sadly on the losing end. With the commuting situation far from any semblance of modernity, and the promised "golden age of infrastructure" more unlikely, PUVMP will always be center stage for questioning and scrutiny. Just as how jeepneys brought clamor in New York and exclamations of pride, may these same voices reverberate the muffled voices of drivers continuously silenced to a hush.
ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA CASANDRA MARIÑO
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