Jeepney drivers' woes continue with PUV modernization

The travails of jeepney drivers as they deal with the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program continue, according to a "24 Oras" report by Tina Panganiban-Perez.

After joining a cooperative, four drivers found themselves facing carnapping complaints.  Several operators and drivers have started missing payment of amortization. And, those who have failed to consolidate and be members of cooperatives only have until January 31 to ply their routes.

Philip Borata was in tears as he faced the House transportation panel inquiry on Wednesday. He is one of the four jeepney drivers charged with 38 counts of carnapping after joining a cooperative. His vehicle was also held by the group.

“‘Yung masaklap, gusto nilang kunin yung sasakyan sa amin dahil daw sa kanila nakapangalan. Naglapit kami sa committee sa problema namin. Kasi naghirap kami rito. Gumastos kami,” Borata said. 

(The worst part is they want to take the unit from us because it is named after them. We approached the committee with our problem. Because we worked hard for this. We spent money on this.)

He reported this to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), but the agency said it could not do anything because it was an issue within the cooperative. 

However, LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz said he has not heard of such a case and said he will investigate it. 

As much as P7,000 per day is needed so that transport cooperatives can pay their loans and drivers would earn enough for their family if they would get a modern jeepney worth P2.8 million, 1 Rider party-list Representative Bonifacio Bosita said Wednesday.

“Based on [state-run bank] Landbank computation of granting loans at 6% annual interest payable for seven years and at P2.8 million per unit, a cooperative would need to raise P40,000 monthly to pay for each unit. This amount excludes fuel, facilities, cooperative management, maintenance and other mandatory expenses. Each unit would need to earn P4,000 to P5,000 a day for these expenses [of loan payment and maintenance], excluding the amount that the driver will earn. If drivers are looking at earning P1,500 or P2,000 per day, that would be P7,000 per day,” Bosita said during the same House hearing.

The high cost of amortization has been among the contentious issues hounding the program.  The LTFRB, however, said that cooperatives have options to avail of lower-priced jeepneys but which should be compliant with the program's requirements.

The Land Bank of the Philippines, which together with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), are sources of loans for jeepney procurement, said five out of the over 100 cooperatives and close to 50 corporations that availed of funding, have been missing the deadlines of payment.

The DBP added that over 30 of their borrowers have also missed the payments of the amortization, which totals around P1.8 billion.

The application for the consolidation of jeepney operators into cooperatives, which is part of the modernization program, ended on December 31, 2023.  It was extended until January 31, 2024.

Those who failed to apply for consolidation would no longer be allowed to operate starting February 1.

Several transport groups protested outside the House of Representatives during the panel inquiry. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News