A jeepney driver takes part in a protest against the public utility vehicles modernization plan in Manila on Jan 16. (Photo: AFP)
Philippine jeepney drivers have received a reprieve after the government deferred a plan to phase out the iconic but smoke-belching public transport vehicles and replace them with modern mini-buses.
The House Committee on Transportation on Jan. 25 approved a resolution to grant an extension to jeepney drivers and operators under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). The new deadline has been pushed to April 30.
“This extension is to give an opportunity to those who expressed intention to consolidate but did not make the previous cut-off," President Ferdinand Marcos said in a statement.
The consolidation or the formation of transport cooperatives or other legal entities will allow drivers and operators “to access benefits such as government subsidies and access to credit facilities, among others, to aid in modernizing their fleets.”
Jeepney operators were earlier given until the end of 2023 to join a cooperative, which will have two to three years to replace their fleet with modern vehicles that are safer and less polluting.
However, there was opposition to the phase-out with operators arguing that joining a cooperative and buying a new vehicle will bury them in debt and risk their livelihood.
Mody Floranda, president of the National Federation of Public Transport Associations welcomed the extension as the “initial success” of “our tireless collective action and the determination to defend our livelihood.”
He said thousands of drivers and small operators, and even millions of commuters, will reap the benefits.
“But extension alone is not enough. Let's continue to act until the foreign PUVMP is scrapped and fight for progressive, patriotic, and inclusive public transportation,” he added.
The jeepneys were initially made from US jeeps left after World War II and are a national symbol in the Philippines.
They serve as the backbone of the country's transport system, providing affordable rides for millions of people across the country.
Caritas Philippines, the social arm of the Church, criticized the extension of the deadline, saying that a “patchwork solution won't fix structural problems.”
“While extending the deadline for public transport modernization to April 30, 2024, offers a temporary reprieve, Caritas Philippines remains concerned that it merely postpones the inevitable without addressing the sector's fundamental challenges,” Jing Henderson, head of communications and partnership development at Caritas Philippines, told UCA News on Jan. 25.
Caritas Philippines has urged the government to avoid postponing the problem, and instead “work together to build a sustainable, efficient, and equitable transportation system that leaves no one behind.”
Henderson advocated for investment in locally developed, renewable energy-powered vehicles, harnessing Filipino ingenuity to build a clean and green future.
She reiterated concerns about the modernization program, citing human cost, environmental responsibility, and preserving Filipino identity.
“We urge the government to ensure fair compensation, livelihood support, and retraining programs for displaced individuals. These are not statistics, but our neighbors and fellow Filipinos,” Henderson said.
Valentino Peneda, a commuter from Leyte in the Visayas region said modernization of public utility vehicles is a matter of acceptance.
“If we do not accept it, the more our country’s public utility vehicles become outdated,” the 53-year-old said.
The old jeepneys are powered by diesel, while the new public utility vehicles will be LPG-powered, electronic, and hybrid types.
The new versions will also have features like Euro-4 and PNS (Philippine National Standards) compliant engines, an automated fare collection system, and a GPS and CCTV camera.
