Soaring gas prices put brakes on jeepney drivers (First of two parts)

MANILA, Philippines — Jeepneys reign as the “Kings of the Road” in the country, ruling the streets as the most iconic mode of transport, yet their drivers are a far cry from living like royalty.

As early as 5 a.m., drivers start steering their jeepneys around the Metro through long hours, working tirelessly until well past midnight to provide for their families.

From the outside, it seems they’re earning a lot from spending long hours on the road, but that’s not the case.

Alex, a jeepney driver since 2007, does not own the vehicle he drives, so he is required to remit a “boundary” of around P700 per day to the operator. Alex plies the Guadalupe, Makati to Pateros route and vice versa.

“Naiuuwi ko minsan pinakamataas ay isang libo, minsan ‘di pa umaabot ng isang libo, mga P700 lang (Sometimes I end up with as much as a thousand pesos, but other times it’s less than that, just P700),” Alex, who asked that his full name be withheld, told The STAR.

This is what he and his wife, Michelle, carefully budget to support the needs of their four children, three of whom are currently studying.

It could have been a huge relief for their family if Alex no longer had to cough up extra pesos to cover surging diesel costs.

“Tulad kagabi, P800 ang gastos niya sa diesel, tapos ilang ikot lang siya. (Just like last night, he spent P800 on diesel, and it’s just a few trips),” Michelle said.

As of Dec. 17, pump prices of diesel had increased by P9.85 per liter, Department of Energy (DOE) data showed.

Another driver, Carder, who also asked to be identified only by his first name, said the price of diesel is now too high for jeepney drivers like him. Carder also plies the GuadalupeMakati-Pateros route.

“Ang diesel naabutan ko P35 noong bumibiyahe na ako (Diesel was only P35 when I started driving),” Carder, who has been working as a jeepney driver since 2016, told The STAR.

“Dati nakakaisang libo malinis. Ngayon kung walang pasahero, minsan magkano lang. Talagang pangkain na lang ang natitira (Before, I was able to earn at least P1,000. Now if there are no passengers, sometimes I barely make anything. It’s really just enough for food),” he lamented.

Based on the DOE’s price monitoring for liquid fuels as of Dec. 16, the average diesel price in Metro Manila was P53.50 per liter.

Monthly loss

Fuel prices have climbed by at least nine times since October, emptying the pockets of jeepney drivers, according to transport group Manibela.

“Sa kada araw, ang nawawala sa kita ng aming mga kasamahan ay naglalaro sa P160 to P200, ayon po sa 25 to 30 liters na kinakarga po namin na diesel araw-araw. (Each day, our fellow drivers lose between P160 and P200 in earnings, based on the 25 to 30 liters of diesel we load daily),” Manibela national chairman Mar Valbuena told The STAR.

This is equivalent to as much as P6,000 on a monthly basis, Valbuena noted.

“Kaya malaking dagok ito sa aming mga kasamahan. (So it is a huge setback for our fellow drivers),” he pointed out.

Even with high prices of basic goods and prime commodities, P6,000 could still go a long way for an average Filipino household.

To illustrate, this amount could have helped them buy at least 50 kilos of rice, 12 cans of sardines, five kilos of chicken, and five kilos of pork. For jeepney drivers, the monthly profit loss caused by rising fuel prices has forced them to find alternative ways to make ends meet.

“Mangungutang minsan kapag bayaran ng bill. Mahirap din makaipon minsan. (Sometimes, we have to borrow money to pay the bills. It’s hard to save sometimes),” said Carder, a father of two, both of whom are still in school.

He also believes that the government has control over the surging fuel costs and should take action.

“Kami wala naman kaming natatanggap na tulong sa gobyerno eh. Mulat sapul wala. Siguro mga opisyales siguro meron, pero mga driver wala. (We don’t receive any help from the government. From the start, nothing. Maybe the officials get something, but the drivers don’t),” Carder said.

(To be continued)