Jeepney drivers group protests over government plan to give them new units

July 17, 2017

A jeepney drivers group staged a transport caravan in protest over a government plan to phase out their old models and replace them with new ones that they have to pay monthly. In a radio interview, George San Mateo, head of the Pinagkaisahang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) said: “We have given up hope the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation and Franchising Board will listen to us. We want to go to Mendiola and see President Rodrigo Duterte and tell him our position.” San Mateo said instead of giving new models, it would be better for government to help the jeepney drivers, who stand to lose their units which are 15 years or older. He said jeepney drivers met first near the Quezon Elliptical Circle, then proceeded to Welcome Rotunda to hold a program and proceed to Mendiola. The Quezon City Police District Public Information Office said in a text message to The Daily Manila Shimbun around 500 jeepney drivers participated . PO1 Aiza Calubaquib of the traffic unit department, said rallyists from the National Housing Authority and Manila area merged in Welcome Rotunda. Aileen Lizada, a member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, said there are "seven dispatches out of 72 vehicles and 750 stranded passengers were assisted". The local government unit prepared a free ride in the Commonwealth Market to help the people,  Calubaquib said. She said the greatly affected area is Commonwealth but the situation was immediately addressed by the authorities. Classes at UST and FEU were not held. Several areas in Bulacan also declared no classes Lizada said in a message through Viber, a "case vs. George (San Mateo,national president of Piston) is scheduled to be filed in court". She did not say what it is. LTFRB chair Martin Delgra III said in his interview with GMA News, the protest caravan supports the public utility jeep operators' interest but the LTFRB prioritizes the  interest of the riding public. He said part of the modernization program of the government is a "generous" financial package for the operators. "Wherever bank you go or even the other operators for that matter,  bus or UV, will wonder that there is this type of financial scheme for the affected PUJ operators. They are the only ones who have this kind of financial package", Delgra said. He said the interest of loan is small in the vicinity of 6 percent. LTFRB extended the payment scheme from three to five years into seven years, said Delgra. There was a government scheme that was approved by the Department of Budget Management with a subsidy of P80,000 for each unit, Delgra said. The LTFRB is pushing the program to be part of the 2018 budget, he said. (Alanna Ambi/DMS)