JEEPNEY PHASEOUT

For many years, millions of Filipinos have relied on jeepneys as a mainstay of the country's
economical and practical public transportation system. Recent government initiatives,
however, have aimed to phase out this vehicle due to safety and environmental concerns.
The Philippine government’s move to force jeepney drivers to shift to the more
environment-friendly, modern jeepney has faced backlash over its anti-poor terms.
Here are some numbers that show that the government’s modernization plan is clunky at
best:

● Jeepneys comprise only 2% of the total Registered Vehicles in the Philippines.

According to data from the Department of Energy and LTFRB, there are over 9
million registered vehicles in the Philippines. Of the total, jeepneys comprise only
over 250,000. While there is a legitimate reduction of carbon emissions and
greenhouse gases should the old jeepneys be phased out from our roads, the impact
would only be minimal at best. Old jeepneys are not the main culprits in the carbon
emissions on our highways.

● The modern jeepney is 1,766.7% more expensive than the traditional jeepney.
A traditional jeepney costs around P150,000 to P250,000. A modern e-jeepney would
force drivers and operators to cough up as much as P2.8 million, a 1,766.7%
increase in cost. With jeepney drivers' daily earnings only averaging a few hundred
pesos, the modern jeepney's cost is beyond their financial capabilities.

● The government’s proposed subsidy covers only 5.7% of the total cost.
The LTFRB said that a subsidy of P160,000 will be provided. This is only 5.7% of the
total cost of the modern jeepney.

In an interview with some jeepney drivers, they said that they earn around P2,000
per day. Should they upgrade to modern jeepneys, they would need to earn at least
P3,500 to pay off their debt.

It goes without saying that both sides of the political spectrum have legitimate reasons for
fighting for what they think is for the greater good. Nevertheless, the riding public deserves a
much safer, more efficient public transportation system. This means much lesser traffic jams,
more affordable fares, and the availability of more public vehicles instead of a car-centric
transport system. The national government is tasked to do this and strike a balance, but the
solution must be examined carefully so as not to earn the ire of those who will be adversely
impacted.