05/03/2023
𝐀 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 (𝐏𝐔𝐕𝐌𝐏)
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:
• FEU International Studies Society
• PLMun Corpus Juris Debate Club
• PLMun Mass Media Students Society
• PLMun Political Science Society
• PLMun Social Science Achievers' Society
• The Warden Publication
• UST The Political Science Forum (UST-TPSF)
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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)
𝐀 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 (𝐏𝐔𝐕𝐌𝐏)
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:
• FEU International Studies Society
• PLMun Corpus Juris Debate Club
• PLMun Mass Media Students Society
• PLMun Political Science Society
• PLMun Social Science Achievers' Society
• The Warden Publication
• UST The Political Science Forum (UST-TPSF)
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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)
