Hya Bendaña — driver's daughter, Ateneo valedictorian

Her father’s jeepney is exactly her age and named after her. All of her young life, it was the same jeepney that sustained the family through her father’s long days and nights driving polluted routes, before catching a few hours of sleep inside the jeepney.

All of her father’s hard work enabled Hya Bendaña to focus on school and graduate college valedictorian of Ateneo de Manila University in 2019.

Now she’s paying it forward by speaking out on behalf of jeepney drivers as the government phases out jeepneys as part of its contentious modernization program.

Hya talks to Howie Severino about the challenge to achieve despite her poverty and offers an insider’s view of the world of the iconic jeepney.

HOWIE: Magandang araw, podmates. Howie Severino muli na nagpapaalala na nakakatalino ang mahabang attention span.

Ang guest natin ngayon ay isang anak ng jeepney driver na nag-graduate na college valedictorian ng Ateneo de Manila University noong taong 2019. At ngayon ay isa siya sa mga boses ng jeepney sector ng bansa lalo na tungkol sa dinedebateng modernisasyon ng public vehicles. Si Hya Bendaña. Magandang araw sa iyo, Hya.

HYA: Magandang gabi po, Sir Howie. Salamat po sa pag-imbita.

HOWIE: At salamat, salamat na pinaunlakan mo kami kahit bising-busy kayo ngayon. Matagal na akong interesado sa background mo, Hya. Medyo unique. Anak ka nga ng jeepney driver pero nakapagtapos ka sa elite university na Ateneo at the top of your class. At naging president ka pa ng student government doon. 'Yung Sanggunian. Obviously, naging very integrated ka sa community ng Ateneo.

Pero may panahon ba na may feeling kang out of place noong estudyante ka o sa umpisa pa lang may confidence ka na magtatagumpay ka roon?

HYA: Nakakaloka naman po ang ating mga tanong. And more so salamat po sa nag-research. Gulat po ako sa information. Ako po, Sir Howie, nu'ng una talaga, ako ay stressed, na-culture shock kasi po coming into college.

So 'yung lola ko po at that time, namatay po siya kasi po 'yung hospitals refused to operate on her dahil sa aneurysm dahil wala po kaming down payment. So coming in the Ateneo, marami po akong galit sa lipunan. At siyempre mas tumitindi 'yung galit kapag nakikita ko 'yung pagkakomportable na mga schoolmate ko.

'Yung tipong isang libo[ng piso] kada araw, dalawang libo[ng piso] kada araw 'yung baon. Meanwhile, you know, five days of those baon would have saved my lola's life. So marami po 'yung galit. And I think I was very troubled coming in. Not because I was afraid that I will be out of place. That was never my concern.

But more of galit ako sa realidad na nakikita ko. And how I contrast it with our experiences on the daily basis. So admittedly, it's not, you know, it's not your usual college sentiments na gusto kong mag-fit in. No, it was never my intention to fit in. I was just angry.

HOWIE: So ngayon, active ka sa social causes, kasama nga sa mga isyu ng jeepney sector. Noon pa ba pangarap mo nang gamitin ang galing mo sa mga isyu ng lipunan?

HYA: Not necessarily, Sir Howie. I think what people need to realize ay kapag pinalaki kang mahirap, your goal is not automatically to save the world because you experience poverty. Your goal is to get out of poverty. Your goal was, you know, to save your family. Your goal was to find a better future for yourself.

And I did not start, you know... Active ako sa social causes. Nag-rally po ako since I was 7 years old. But it was not because I wanted to join the social cause. It was because kamukha rin ng tatay ko. The intention was selfish, even if it was a social cause.

And admittedly, that's because people like me are pushed for survival. And when you're pushed for survival, that's your priority. So 'yun po 'yung status ko parang growing up, it was really never to advocate and be a hero. It was always because I wanted better for my family. It just so happens na when I grew older, I realized that poverty has different faces. And my story of poverty is not a unique story. And the struggle is not individual but systemic.

Doon po ako nagsimula mag-advocate for bigger social causes. But I did not start wanting to save the world. I did not start wanting to save the Philippines. I just wanted to finish school and give a better life for my family.

HOWIE: Pero siyempre advantage mo na naranasan mo 'yung mga isyu ng mga jeepney driver at 'yung sa mga sector associated sa transport. Paano 'yun naka-influence sa choices mo?

HYA: 'Yung pinakauna po siguro, never kong gustong mag-fit in sa Ateneo. I think that's the first sign. Never ko pong ikinahiya na jeepney driver 'yung tatay ko. Everywhere I go, I always tell others na ang tatay ko jeepney driver.

Nu'ng pumasok po ako sa Ateneo, I was actually in the School of Management. So minsan sa dinner table, ang pinag-uusapan lalo na if you meet the parents of your friends, ang pinag-uusapan nila ay ano 'yung negosyo ng pamilya mo. And you know, they would make a round kung ano 'yung negosyo ng pamilya mo. Textile, tiles, export, 'yun 'yung mga negosyo nila. Palayan, rice mill.

Tapos pagdating sa akin, never ako nag-iimbento ng kahit ano or nagsasabi na... Lagi kong sinasabi, "Jeepney driver po si Dada." And it will always make the room quiet. Because then, ano ire-react nila, 'di ba? Usually, "Ah. So sino 'yung ka-business partners n'yo?"

And everywhere I go, I always say that. Naalala ko po, actually 'yung first time po na "nag-viral ako", it's not because of the graduation. It's because of 2017 when Ateneo refused to cancel classes during a nationwide jeepney strike led by PISTON and ACTO.

At nagalit po ako noon kasi hindi ko naintindihan kung bakit hindi magka-cancel ng klase 'yung Ateneo when there are commuters inside the university, et cetera. So 'yun po 'yung first, you know, first time I posted, first time I became popular na may jeepney driver na anak na Ateneo... And I think that was influential in my decision because I never look at things the way my schoolmates would.

And I hindi ko alam, Sir Howie, if matatawag mo siyang advantage 'yung fact na lumaki ako sa sector. Advantage siya sa akin but also at the same time, advantage siya in a way na hindi ko kailangan ng klase sa sociology. 'Yung mga theo, philo para maunawaan ang struggle ng sector on the ground. Hindi ko kailangan ng immersion.

But also for a lot of poor people, being with the sectors or growing up in poverty is something that they want to be alleviated from. But I am proud of my origin and I will always be proud of telling this story.

HOWIE: So umpisa pa lang after you graduated, naging active ka na sa sektor?

HYA: Depends on what sector, Sir Howie. Kasi po... But I am active in advocacy movement. Nu'ng grumaduate po ako, I worked in Jesuit Refugee Services as a humanitarian worker. So anti-sex trafficking po and sexual violence 'yung ginawa ko directly after graduation. And then when the pandemic hit in 2020 at nagkaroon po ng nationwide public transport strike, saka po ako bumalik sa sektor para maging aktibo.

Not really bumalik kasi I never left. It's just that at that time, you know, as a woman who grew up in poverty, I have many pain points. Hindi lang po siya transport but also public health, also education, also sexual violence, et cetera. So 'yun po 'yung nauna kong ginawa. And then I moved to public transport.

HOWIE: Okay. So dito sa kasalukuyang modernization program so 'yung isa sa mga nire-require ng gobyerno, mag-consolidate nga 'yung mga jeepney operator and driver katulad ng iyong ama. Ano 'yung perspective mo rito?

Well, first of all, 'yung father mo ba ay sumali sa isang cooperative or corporation as required by the government para magkaroon ng prangkisa? And ano sa tingin mo 'yung status nitong isa sa mga unang hakbang ng modernization?

HYA: Sir Howie, gusto ko pong ikuwento na kasama po actually 'yung tatay ko sa unang batch na na-phase out. So alam ko pong ngayon 2024 na, pero nawalan po ng kabuhayan 'yung tatay ko 2017 during the time ng jeepney modernization. So hindi po ni-renew 'yung prangkisa niya kasi hindi roadworthy 'yung sasakyan niya.

So even... Gusto ko lang po linawin sa lahat ng nakikinig na hindi po ngayon 'yung unang batch ng phase out. It has been happening ever since the government, you know, phased out jeepneys. Ever since it was actually passed as a formal policy.

So nagsimula na po silang hindi mag-renew ng prangkisa. Hindi lang malawakan pero it did not start in 2023 or 2024. It started in 2017. And for one year, 'yung tatay ko po ay colorum. Siya po ay bumibiyahe nang ilegal kasi po colorum. Tapos siya po ay bumibiyahe sa mga eskinita na usually walang MMDA or police na manghuhuli. At usually during alanganin na oras na walang naka-shift.

Na-phase out po 'yung jeep namin 2017. Isang taon pong colorum sa Dada. Umuwi po siya 2018 when I was entering fourth year college kasi wala na po talagang trabaho sa Maynila. So bago pa po ako grumaduate. So hindi po siya, Sir Howie, nasama sa current na usapin ng consolidation. And I think many of our jeepney operators and drivers, ganu'n din po.

But going back to your question, Sir Howie, tingin ko po, in the long term of things, mayroon pong saysay ang pagsasaayos ng reporma at ng sistema ng public transportation. Pero hindi ko po sure kung dapat consolidation 'yung unang hakbang doon.

Ngayon po kasi ang ginagawa ng gobyerno, kino-consolidate niya lahat pero hindi pa po sure kung ano ba 'yung mga rutang gumagana. Wala pa pong maayos na demand projection kung gaano ba karaming units 'yung kailangan sa bawat ruta. Wala pong malinaw na capacity sa LGU kung paano ba planuhin 'yung transport routes nila. Kumbaga po, consolidation is part of the reform pero hindi po 'ata dapat siya 'yung nauuna sa reporma.

HOWIE: Okay. Ayon sa datos nga ng Department of Transport, about 70% daw ng operators and drivers ay nakapag-consolidate. Meaning nga miyembro na sila ng cooperative or cooperation as required. Tinanong ko na paano 'yung 30%? 'Di ba tayo kukulangin ng mga public vehicle sa lansangan?

Tinanong ko si Secretary Bautista. Sabi niya, 'yung 30% na 'yun ay malamang hindi na talaga kailangan. Gumawa rin daw sila ng study showing na there are really too many jeepneys anyway. So 'yung 70% na nag-consolidate should be enough to service the demands for commuting ng mga pasahero.

[READ: DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on modernizing the jeepney]

And kasama raw roon sa 30% 'yung maraming non-roadworthy na mga jeepney at saka iba pang public vehicles na dapat talaga hindi payagan na bumiyahe sa lansangan. Ano 'yung pananaw mo roon sa ganu'ng statement na hindi naman talaga kailangan 'yung ganu'ng karaming vehicles na hindi nakapag-consolidate?

HYA: Sir Howie, and on the record, Sec. Bautista, medyo kasinungalingan po 'yun. Hindi po mare-rebut ng kahit anong study na ilabas ng Department of Transportation 'yung katotohanan na ang haba ng pila sa mga terminal, na maraming mga commuter na naghihintay ng tatlo or apat na oras sa pila para lang makasakay, na maraming commuter na umuuwi ng 12 midnight at kailangan gumising ng alas kuwatro ng umaga para makarating sa sa alas otso nilang pasok dahil hirap sila sa pila, sa sakay, sa waiting time, sa travel time.

Hindi kailangan ng, alam mo 'yun, study o kung anuman po 'yung sinasabi ng Secretary Bautista to show that there is a lack of public transport supply on the ground. And you can see it in the commuter lines and in the everyday na siksikan 'yung mga jeepney at 'yung mga bus, including buses and MRT, iba't ibang transport supply at iba't ibang transport supply na 'yan, iba't ibang transport mode.

Lahat sila, cramped, overcrowded. And you know, you will tell us as Department Secretary na over 'yung supply. Hindi. Kulang 'yung supply. Hindi niya kaya i-answer 'yung current demand.

HOWIE: Well, actually, of course, tinanong ko sa kaniya 'yung tungkol diyan na, you know, the lived experience of many commuters is different. Mukha talagang kulang. However, he was saying nga na kasama roon sa modernization 'yung pag-rationalize nga ng mga ruta.

'Pag naayos na raw 'yan... Kasi nga may mga ruta raw na talagang kulang 'yung sasakyan, 'yung sa ibang ruta naman daw, sobra. So pag na-rationalize daw 'yun, 'yung allocation ng mga public utility vehicle ay dapat sumapat 'yung dami at mag-correspond nga roon 'yung supply at demand.

'Yun ang isang maging objective daw ng route rationalization. Maaayos nga 'yung distribution para hindi maipon sa isang bahagi lang 'yung mga public utility vehicle.

HYA: And that was their promise since 2017. And in the past 6-7 years that they committed a route rationalization study plan, the national government did not deliver. So sure, puwede po siyang mangako ulit for the next years pero hindi po sila nag-deliver, e.

So ang tanong po namin, actually from the sector, from the coalition and ako po as anak ng jeepney driver ay "Bakit hindi 'yun 'yung unahin kung 'yung six years po nilang deadline ng route rationalization plan before they start consolidating and phasing out jeepneys?"

Kasi po right now, ang nakikita ko po, Sir Howie, gusto nila i-phase out 'yung mga jeepney because for them there's an oversupply but not really understanding which routes need more demand and less demand or more supply and less supply. And then, doing the consolidation accordingly to that.

Feeling ko po they're doing it the wrong way and just you know trusting na, "Oh, after consolidation magkakaroon naman ng route rationalization after we phase out the old units." So when does that happen? Because they've been saying that since 2017.

HOWIE: At kasama din du'n sa modernization, of course, 'yung replacement ng mga luma at 'yung old model na jeepneys with new models. Ano naman 'yung tingin mo at saka ng mga ibang advocate tungkol dito sa planong ito? Papalitan 'yung traditional jeepney with so-called modern jeepneys, air-conditioned, safer daw at more economical, less pollutive. Anong tingin n'yo ru'n sa mga detalye ng plano na 'yun?

HYA: 'Yung pinaka-bare minimum po, Sir Howie, na kailangan ng transport, commuters, ng PUV commuters ay mayroon silang masakyan. So if transitioning to modern units will decrease public transport supply at mawawala ng masasakyan 'yung commuters, it is not helping.

Modern units po, alam mo 'yun, parang later on we can transition to it but it's not the first priority. The first priority should be to reform and fix the system and then, the units can follow. Because even the government, I'm sure you've heard this probably from Ken, Sir Howie, even the government does not have the money to finance and subsidize to their committed subsidy, lahat ng transport supply natin ng mag-modernize whether they want it or they don't.

So kahit po sabihin natin na lahat ng transport workers, "Okay. Game. Class, tayo ay mag-modernize sabay-sabay," wala pa rin pong pera ang gobyerno to give at least 25% of the subsidy cost. So I'm not sure kung bakit sobrang passionate sila about this when they don't have the money. The government has no form of sufficient support to actually push the transport workers to transition, even those alone who are willing. Kulang na kulang po.

HOWIE: So of course you also agree na kailangan talagang i-reform nga 'yung public utility vehicles sector, 'no? So tingin mo, what should be prioritized? How should it go? I mean, kailangan talaga tayo mag-modernize in transportation and so many other things. So paano dapat?

HYA: The greatest mistake, Sir Howie, I think, that the government did is to try to modernize and to implement a national program that they have no capacity to implement everywhere all at once in the Philippines.  Lahat. From Basilan... 'Di ba, 'yung mula Batanes, hanggang Jolo. Ayan, lahat gusto nila i-implement when they have no budget for it, when they don't have staff and manpower to implement it, when they don't have legal mandate na budget to actually finance everything.

I think, Sir Howie, that whatever the government plans na step-by-step, which I can discuss later, can happen. But it has to start with pilot routes. It has to start with pilot LGUs na number one, willing 'yung LGU to help them implement the program. Number two, that the cooperatives and the transport workers in those particular area are willing to join the program.

And number three, that the government is willing to finance those particular reforms that will happen. Marami po kasing parte 'yung PUVMP. Hindi lang naman siya modern vehicles. Kasama ru'n 'yung terminal, kasama ru'n 'yung accessibility, wheelchair ramps, kasama po roon 'yung maayos na commuter display system para sa mga tao na mayroong disabilidad.

So marami siyang proseso, marami siyang aspect. Bakit tina-try? Ang ginagawa po kasi ngayon, okay, one aspect of it, cherry pick tayo, and then let's implement it all over the country. I think what would have been a good implementation, Sir Howie, and it's not too late to do this, is to select pilot LGUs or pilot routes and implement the full concept of the PUV Modernization Program.

Tutal 'yun lang naman 'yung budget na mayroon 'yung government ngayon together with service contracting program. And then, see how they can improve the implementation as they reiterate. Saka sila mag-scale up. Because Philippines is such a big country. It has such a complicated transport system because we are an archipelago.

Ang daming sanga-sanga. May habal-habal, may tricycle, may pedicab. Hindi siya kagaya ng ibang transport system na gusto nilang i-follow like Singapore, for example. Our system is much more complicated and is very contextualized. If you want to find a way to do it and reform the system, kahit sabihin mo pang baguhin din 'yung units eventually, you have to start with pilot implementation routes.

Kahit sabihin natin three years. Start tayo halimbawa sa Cebu or Naga or Iloilo or Quezon City or kahit saan na gusto niyong i-implement, go. Davao.  

HOWIE: 'Pag pinag-uusapan itong mga national policy that will affect the whole country, no matter what sector, madalas 'yung lente ng gobyerno at mga katulad ko rin, journalists and mga influential sector, ang lente namin ay Metro Manila.

HYA: Correct.

HOWIE: So itong mga ibang condition na sinasabi mo na talagang kulang, overcrowded, sobra na 'yung traffic, talagang kulang 'yung services para sa commuters, that's the common experience of people in Metro Manila.

I'm just wondering, how true would that be everywhere? Kasi 'yun nga, hindi ka naman taga-Metro Manila. Taga-Albay ka, and you're currently in Albay. Ako, I live in the province na rin ngayon. Paminsan-minsan lang ako pumupuntang Metro Manila. So iba talaga 'yung sitwasyon.

Are there places in the Philippines that you've heard of or you've actually seen that are doing a good job in terms of public transportation and can serve as a model and can be a good place to do these pilots na sinasabi mo nga? Para hindi lang Metro Manila at saka problema ng Metro Manila 'yung ating lente.

HYA: So I think sometime back, si Naga City actually passed a resolution na gusto nila na mag-implement ng service contracting program ng government. So part siya ng PUVMP. Just, you know, help us with co-funding it and then we'll implement it in the city.

And there are also those, I think may nilalakad din po ang Cebu and si Quezon City under Mayor Joy is implementing service contracting in their own parang terms as well. So there are willing LGUs already. I think kailangan lang din po i-open ang national government 'yung possibility to make it happen.

So sa akin lang po, halimbawa Sir Howie, sa Albay, actually wala ritong naniniwala sa PUV modernization, e. Parang for us, well for one, wala kasi kaming MMDA. Wala ritong nanghuhuli. 'Di ba? So for us, the threat of PUVMP is not as felt as compared to Metro Manila na alam mong may MMDA na huhuli sa 'yo sa stoplight. Dito wala, wala namang stoplights dito, e.

So there's no grave threat. That's why 'yung sinasabi ko nga po kanina, mayroon lang namang ilang bilyon 'yung gobyerno to implement it. Why not invest? Kahit sampung siyudad pa 'yan. Just so we can start it. And important 'to, Sir Howie, because right now the government is facing strong resistance especially from the groups of Manibela and PISTON.

And those resistance are warranted. Those resistance are, you know, they're not unfounded. It's hard to trust a regulatory body to implement a program that's good for you, when all this time all they've done is punish our jeepney drivers and operators.

And I'm saying it as someone who grew up in the sector. Alam ko po 'yung maraming ipit, maraming kung ano-ano na nangyayari. It's hard to trust them that they have our best intentions in mind. So the goal is not to force them to go into the program because that's what the government wants, 'di ba? Parang "We will go into the program regardless and let those who are left at the margins continue to be at the margins. It is the end of the line for them."

I don't think that should be their response. Maniniwala po ako na alam at hindi naman... Alam mo 'yun, hindi naman... Alam ng transport workers ang makabubuti para sa kanila at sa mga pamilya nila. And if we show them what the future could be and we show them that you can trust this program, they will come around.

HOWIE: Itong binanggit mo na service contracting system sa ibang LGU, paki-elaborate nga. Why are you speaking about that in positive terms? Bakit magandang sistema 'yan?

HYA: Lumaki po kami, Sir Howie, sa boundary system. So 'di ba 'yun 'yung sistema talaga ng public transport sa bansa. So as a lived experience po, 'yung tatay ko bumibiyahe siya ng alas kuwatro ng umaga. So eight hours 'yun. From 4 a.m. until I think 12 noon para lang maka-boundary. And you know that is his boundary. And then, kakain siya, 12 to 1. And then, from 1 p.m. onwards, saka lang siya kukuha ng actual income niya for himself and for the family.

I think he goes... Parang 'yung time na 'yun ang take home niya is between 800 pesos to 1200 pesos a day. It seems you know so much more than minimum wage. But ilang oras po siya bumibiyahe? Ang tulog niya lang ay 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. He's been you know, nasa kalsada siya 19 to 20 hours a day to meet the quota. And even then, people like him grow old.

So sila Lolo Efren Malongga who is still driving jeepney in FTI terminal grow old to continue the same system because wala silang SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig, wala silang Social Security. So they're stuck in the system.

Service contracting abolishes the boundary system. So ang konsepto po niya in ideal implementations, Sir Howie, it has been done in different areas like Iloilo ay the government contracts a cooperative to run the route for them. And then, partially po naka-subsidize 'yung pamasahe. So it keeps fares affordable and absorbs the cost of fuel hikes.

Kasi para naman talaga roon 'yung taxes natin, e. While at the same time, paying our transport workers a decent wage, a living wage based on the kilometer run. 'Yung nangyayari po kasi ngayon kaya siksikan, kaya nag-ooverload, kaya unahan, et cetera is because jeepney drivers have the every incentive to get more passengers.

"Oh, sampu-sampu-sampu. Mayroon pa 'yan, gilid-gilid pa. Usog tabi." So 'di ba, that's what they do. Because you earn based on the number of fares. But 'yun po, parang it has a higher possibility of vehicles leaving the terminals on time because you are compensated based on the number of kilometers you run. And the government subsidizes that services.

HOWIE: Gusto kong i-clarify 'yung current system. Because most people don't know this system, they're just passengers, 'yung boundary system. Most jeepney drivers, they are drivers for an operator, right? The operator can own one or more jeepneys. And then, they have drivers working for them. And they just collect the boundary nga. And then, 'yung excess doon sa boundary ay napupunta roon sa driver, right?

So I'm assuming wala itong kasamang benefits. There's no like health insurance. There's no retirement plan under this boundary system. Talagang parang freelancer ka. That's the system.

HYA: Tama po. Tama, Sir Howie. And I think a lot of it is because individual po kasi 'yung nangyayari. Parang individual transport worker, individual operator. Tapos kani-kaniyang sistema. Bahala ka kung saang coop mo gustong pumasok. Kung kami po naghahanap kami ng rutang papasukan, bahala kami kung saan kami mag-a-apply na ruta.

And to be fair, Sir Howie, alam kong tina-try siyang "ayusin ang gobyerno ngayon." And ang solusyon na nilang hinahain ay consolidation. Pero the problem na masyadong maraming individual transport workers and operators, tapos bawat ruta ang dami-dami nagda-drive minsan, it's not the transport workers' fault. It's because of the government's failure to actually project and plan the franchise application to our jeepney drivers.

Kasi po kami, "Pili lang kami tapos binigyan kami." Parang wala siyang criteria na, "Ah, alam mo ba, sa Malabon kulang pa ng jeep. Doon ka na lang sa Malabon." Wala pong ganu'n. Kami po pipili tapos bahala na kami.

HOWIE: So under itong service contracting system, you really need to be more organized, 'yung mga operator and driver. Sabi mo nga, the cooperatives are the ones that are contracted. So under this system, ito rin, nakasama rin ito sa modernization program. But you're saying, 'yung ibang LGU ginagawa na ito.

These cooperatives would provide benefits for the drivers. They would be given, 'yun nga, maybe health insurance, a retirement plan, benefits. They wouldn't be like freelancers na talagang 'yung kita nila depende lang sa kayod and hours and the number of passengers that they'll pick up.

HYA: Yes, I think, Sir Howie, important to clarify na, of course, that's an ideal system and we know over history that there are cooperatives, businesses, corporations, which violate labor laws. So it's not going to be a perfect system. But at least in this model, it's easier for government to regulate and enforce labor laws. It's easier for individual drivers, for example, to demand social security to legal entities like cooperatives, which they wouldn't be able to do with individual transport operators.

HOWIE: So sa ngayon, karamihan ng jeepney drivers ay walang SSS?

HYA: Wala po. Wala. 29:00 Wala, wala, sir. Si papa po nag-retire siya as in... Naglakad po ako ng SSS ngayong January. Ngayon niya lang ulit nakuha 'yung number niya. Ganu'n, ganu'n, Sir Howie. And my father is what? Turning 50 years old this March.

HOWIE: Okay. Alam mo 'pag sinabing jeepney ano, it's people, many people, many Filipinos think of it as an icon and not just a public utility vehicle.  It's an icon, it symbolizes our culture, our country, you know, it's part of our heritage, et cetera. So 'yung iba, nagre-react doon sa modern, the modern type of jeepney that's being discussed, 'yung iba aircon, 'yung entrance at saka exit nasa side na imbes na nasa likod. So 'yung mga pasehero ay hindi na magkaharap. Nakaharap na sila roon sa driver, sa section ng driver, et cetera.

So there's a bit of sentimentality attached to the jeepney, kaya 'yung iba parang nagre-react sila roon sa mga bagong design na nakikita. Ikaw, you've been immersed in the sector, anak ka nga ng jeepney driver, you know, do you attach a similar sentimentality to 'yung nga, 'yung traditional jeepney? Are you just as sentimental as many about, 'yun nga, 'yung the colorful jeepney, 'yung may mga kabayo roon sa hood, and may mga, you know, the colorful signs, may mga pangalan, mga nakasulat doon sa side, you know, there's a whole jeepney font, a jeepney style of art.

Sentimental din ba 'yung mga nasa sektor mismo tungkol dito sa traditional jeepney?

HYA: Sobrang laki, Sir Howie, but it's not because of the arts and culture that a lot of commuters, you know, and heritage preservation advocates are advocating. It's because a lot of them have had their jeepney for their entire family life.

So for example, Sir Howie, 'yung jeepney po ng tatay ko, may pangalan siya, ang pangalan niya, pangalan ko, Reycel Hyacenth, nakalagay roon. And he bought his jeepney, nakuha po namin 'yung jeepney niya, ni-loan namin siya on the day I was born. So birthday ko po 'yung jeepney, April 1, 1999 and we celebrate my birthday with that jeepney. And ever since, nakatali po 'yung kapalaran ko at 'yung jeepney sa isa't isa.

Lahat po ng graduation ko maliban nu'ng college graduation, jeep po 'yung service namin. Whether... Na-experience na po namin itaboy sa parking lot kasi jeep, tapos formal event, pero lagi po 'yun. Jeep 'yung service namin. And the only reason hindi siya nangyari ng 2019 is because na-phase out nga po siya. So bawal siya kahit private bumiyahe sa kalsada. So there is a lot of sentimentality.

And I think that's also the reason, Sir howie, why there are jeepney drivers like my dad who were phased out na instead na ibenta 'yung initial offer ng gobyero na may scrappage fee na P80,000. Way back in 2017, P80,000. My father, kahit na gipit na gipit kami noon at baon sa utang, he would not sell the jeepney for a scrappage fee of P80,000.

Inuwi niya po sa probinsya. Nagmaneho Manila hanggang Bicol. Nandiyan po, kasama namin 'yung jeep ngayon. Naghahakot ng niyog, naghahakot ng saging, ng kopra. 'Yun 'yung ginagawa ng jeep. Kasi for him, that's his lifetime partner. Partner niya 'yun sa pagtaguyod ng pamilya. And that's true with many of our transport workers, especially po 'yung mga tubong probinsya pumunta ng Maynila.

HOWIE: So sandali, umaandar pa 'yung jeep na 'yan kasi sabi mo nga, it's as old as you are? So it's an old vehicle, pero umaandar pa.

HYA: Correct. Kasi po wala pong MMDA sa probinsya.

HOWIE: Oo, nasa sa inyo pa. Kahit mga bagong sasakyan, nagbe-breakdown. Hindi mo na magamit. Pero 'yung inyo, umaandar pa.

HYA: Hindi lang, Sir. Naghahakot ng bigas.

HOWIE: Oo. Okay. Interesting. Siyempre maganda rin 'yung pagme-maintain ng tatay mo ng jeep na 'yan for it to last that long.

HYA: Nagseselos po 'yung nanay ko kasi parang feeling niya mas mahal 'yung jeep kasi sa nanay ko. Partner niya po ‘yun, Sir Howie. And gusto ko pong i-emphasize, Sir Howie, 'yung tungkol sa probinsya kasi I think that's a lot of the resistance it's also coming from. Marami po kasi…  'Yung tatay ko nag-loan kami noong 1999 para po makabili ng jeep. It took us like seven years to pay off that loan completely.

But, Sir Howie, marami po mga probinsyano ang binenta ang lupa nila sa probinsya para maka-afford ng jeep when they moved to Manila. So for them, sobrang laki ng sentimental value ng jeep na 'yun. And you can't just let it phase it out just because. That's the reason why the resistance is so strong.

And for the sake of my father, noong entire high school po kasi until third year college, 'yung tatay ko po nakatira siya sa jeep. Hindi po siya nag-renta ng apartment kasi sobrang gipit namin noon, 'yung bayad ng apartment na irerenta niya, binibigay niya na lang po sa aming mag-iina. And he's not alone in the terminal na nakatira sa jeep na may duyan lang tapos doon nakalatag sa baba. Marami po sila. And many of them, Sir Howie, are probinsyanos na ang mga pamilya ay nasa probinsya.

HOWIE: Wow. Ang ganda ng mga kuwento mo. Nakakahanga. Magpapaalam na kami, Hya, I know you're busy. You need to rest. Pero gusto naming magpasalamat sa iyong oras at sa iyong pagbabahagi. Salamat sa mga kuwento at paliwanag, Hya Bendaña, anak ng jeepney driver, Ateneo valedictorian at ngayon kumikilos para sa sektor ng mga jeepney driver. Mabuhay ka, Hya.

HYA: Salamat, sir Howie. Thank you po.