05/03/2023
๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ (๐๐๐๐๐)
We, a collective society of student organizations, strongly object to the immediate phasing out of jeepneys in our country. We believe that the means employed by the government to implement the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) is, to put it simply, callous.
As a part of PUVMP, old PUVs, including traditional jeepneys, will be phased out. This will leave hundreds of thousands of jeepney drivers without a livelihood. As it is also one of the main modes of transportation that many Filipinos rely on, its loss will render many unable to go to and from their destinations. The PUVMP's detrimental effects do not just end at the inconvenience of the people. The economic repercussions of this program will also further amplify the burdens brought about by the consistently rising inflation in our country.
The exorbitant prices of the modern e-jeepneys are no joke. According to Mody Floranda, National President of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston), a modern minibus costs around PHP 2.4 million to PHP 2.8 million a piece (Relativo, 2023). Compared to the traditional jeepneys, which only cost around PHP 200 000 to PHP 600 000, the dizzying amount of modern e-jeepneys will burden the drivers for, perhaps, their entire lifetime. It will take away their hard-earned money that could have been spent somewhere else more needed.
We, Filipinos, call on the Philippine Government to delay the phaseout plan. We urge them to formulate more feasible, lenient, and realistic strategies for implementing the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. We call for our current Philippine President, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., to take action regarding this matter. We strongly believe that we should not compromise the welfare of our fellow Filipinos in exchange for progress, for the progress that we so desire will be meaningless without our people.
Filipinos are already suffering enough from the lingering economic crisis experienced by our society nowadays. Adding further to that would be too much.
SIGNATORIES:
โข FEU International Studies Society
โข PLMun Corpus Juris Debate Club
โข PLMun Mass Media Students Society
โข PLMun Political Science Society
โข PLMun Social Science Achievers' Society
โข The Warden Publication
โข UST The Political Science Forum (UST-TPSF)
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
References:
Relativo, J. (2023, February 23). Piston slams June 30, jeepney phaseout order, says minibusses worth P2.8-M burying operators in debt. Philstar. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.philstar.com/.../piston-slams-june-30-jeepney...
Photo Credits:
Go Flat Out PH (Left) and iStock (Right)
๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ (๐๐๐๐๐)
We, a collective society of student organizations, strongly object to the immediate phasing out of jeepneys in our country. We believe that the means employed by the government to implement the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) is, to put it simply, callous.
As a part of PUVMP, old PUVs, including traditional jeepneys, will be phased out. This will leave hundreds of thousands of jeepney drivers without a livelihood. As it is also one of the main modes of transportation that many Filipinos rely on, its loss will render many unable to go to and from their destinations. The PUVMP's detrimental effects do not just end at the inconvenience of the people. The economic repercussions of this program will also further amplify the burdens brought about by the consistently rising inflation in our country.
The exorbitant prices of the modern e-jeepneys are no joke. According to Mody Floranda, National President of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston), a modern minibus costs around PHP 2.4 million to PHP 2.8 million a piece (Relativo, 2023). Compared to the traditional jeepneys, which only cost around PHP 200 000 to PHP 600 000, the dizzying amount of modern e-jeepneys will burden the drivers for, perhaps, their entire lifetime. It will take away their hard-earned money that could have been spent somewhere else more needed.
We, Filipinos, call on the Philippine Government to delay the phaseout plan. We urge them to formulate more feasible, lenient, and realistic strategies for implementing the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. We call for our current Philippine President, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., to take action regarding this matter. We strongly believe that we should not compromise the welfare of our fellow Filipinos in exchange for progress, for the progress that we so desire will be meaningless without our people.
Filipinos are already suffering enough from the lingering economic crisis experienced by our society nowadays. Adding further to that would be too much.
SIGNATORIES:
โข FEU International Studies Society
โข PLMun Corpus Juris Debate Club
โข PLMun Mass Media Students Society
โข PLMun Political Science Society
โข PLMun Social Science Achievers' Society
โข The Warden Publication
โข UST The Political Science Forum (UST-TPSF)
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
References:
Relativo, J. (2023, February 23). Piston slams June 30, jeepney phaseout order, says minibusses worth P2.8-M burying operators in debt. Philstar. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/23/2247099/piston-slams-june-30-jeepney-phaseout-order-says-minibuses-worth-p28-m-burying-operators-debt.
Photo Credits:
Go Flat Out PH (Left) and iStock (Right)
