Transport operators say the modernization program is pushing them into debt through hefty loans and maintenance issues. They urge officials to rethink their plans.
MANILA, Philippines – Brightly painted jeepney public transport trucks are an iconic symbol of the Philippines, but minibus firm boss Freddie Hernandez backs plans to force them off the road.
Jeepney mini-trucks were originally created from abandoned US military jeeps after World War Two, and later reproduced by Filipinos to meet Manila’s transport needs. The government has extended an initial deadline of March 2020 three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but on February 21 it announced operators must comply by June 30, or risk losing their franchise to operate.
At the start of the program, the government offered P80,000 subsidies towards upgrades. Despite doubling the subsidy in 2020, the cost remains too steep for many jeepney owners. “The cost is too much; it’s already hurting us,” said Rebano, who is also president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, a group advocating for transport workers’ rights and welfare.
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