MANILA (UCAN): The national human rights commission and Church officials in the Philippines called on the government to ensure justice and inclusivity for the country’s transport modernisation programme as the deadline for the phasing out of the iconic jeepney draws near.
The government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set January 31 as the deadline for the phase-out of the popular vehicle as part of its Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program [PUVMP].
Jeepneys were originally repurposed from US military jeeps left after World War II. Contemporary one are capable squeezing in up to 32 passengers.
The government has deemed vehicles with a chassis 50 to 70 years old as unsafe for the environment and public health, and they are to be phased out. Transport groups have opposed the plan and organised a series of strikes to resist the move.
The groups, Manibela and Piston, declared another nationwide strike for January 16 against the government plan in which vehicles, such as jeepneys, that did not join the consolidation under the state PUVMP scheme will be identified as unregistered, or “colorum” starting February 1.
The groups, Manibela and Piston, declared another nationwide strike for January 16 against the government plan in which vehicles, such as jeepneys, that did not join the consolidation under the state PUVMP scheme will be identified as unregistered, or “colorum” starting February 1
In his Facebook Live session on January 14, Manibela chairperson Mar Valbuena said that at least 10,000 PUV drivers and operators, along with different cause-oriented groups, will join them in the protest in Manila.
Once the jeepneys are tagged as unregistered, their franchise will be revoked, and they cannot legally be driven on the road. Consolidating jeepney drivers and operators is supposed to allow them to form cooperatives as the first step in the modernisation phase.
The Commission on Human Rights [CHR] urged the government not to take drastic measures regarding transport modernisation.
“It is the state’s responsibility to efficiently subsidise the programme, develop an effective communication strategy for the general public, and make PUVMP rules more understandable,” the CHR said in a statement on January 12.
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The commission also warned that “adhering strictly to rigid consolidation deadlines may jeopardise PUV operators’ right to a sustainable livelihood.”
Given the economic and financial implications of the PUVMP, the majority of the programme’s financial burden will fall on drivers and operators. It is worth noting that the vast majority of PUV operators are from the vulnerable sector.
Commission on Human Rights
The CHR said, “Given the economic and financial implications of the PUVMP, the majority of the programme’s financial burden will fall on drivers and operators. It is worth noting that the vast majority of PUV operators are from the vulnerable sector.”
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, head of Caritas Philippines, called for a “just and inclusive” transition of jeepney modernisation.
“We urge the government to ensure a just transition that protects the livelihoods of jeepney operators and drivers, who are the backbone of our transportation system, while also laying the groundwork for a more efficient, interconnected, and cost-effective mass transport network that benefits all,” Bishop Bagaforo said in a January 8 statement.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to improve public transportation. However, we cannot condone a modernization process that disregards the human cost,” he added.
The bishop said that the affected families of the drivers and operators “are not just statistics; they are our neighbours, our brothers and sisters” who must not be pushed to “fall through the cracks during this transition.”
We urge the government to ensure a just transition that protects the livelihoods of jeepney operators and drivers, who are the backbone of our transportation system, while also laying the groundwork for a more efficient, interconnected, and cost-effective mass transport network that benefits all
Bishop Bagaforo, Caritas Philippines
Bishop Bagaforo urged the government to ensure livelihood and skills development assistance to the displaced drivers and said the authorities should invest in local jeepney manufacturers for a “clean, efficient and sustainable” public transport system.
Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. pointed out on January 11 that the modernisation programme “should not be implemented in a way that violates the economic rights and dignity of the jeepney drivers and operators.”
The group, a network of more than 250 Church faith-based groups and non-governmental organisations, acknowledged the need to rehabilitate the country’s public vehicles for clean air and better service. But stressed, “No one should be left behind on the path to progress.”
The Manibela group reported that about 30,000 jeepneys in Metro Manila alone have not been consolidated for the modernisation programme. The group hopes the Supreme Court would heed their appeal and issue temporary relief against the looming jeepney phase out.
“We are asking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Supreme Court to listen to our demand. We are appealing that our franchise should not be taken from us and that we should not be declared colorum on Feb 1. Why are you keen on taking away our livelihood?” Villanueva said.
