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Let gov't control jeepney sector? Group weighs in

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Jeepney drivers wait at a terminal in Antipolo, Rizal on June 8, 2022. Drivers have limited their trips due to their low take-home pay brought about by the rising oil prices. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/06/09/20220608-jeepney-oil-price-hike-md-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Jeepney drivers wait at a terminal in Antipolo, Rizal on June 8, 2022. Drivers have limited their trips due to their low take-home pay brought about by the rising oil prices. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — A commuters&#x27; group on Thursday backed a proposal for government to take over the jeepney sector, as its drivers grappled with rising fuel prices that slashed their income. </p><p>&quot;Dapat po &#x27;yan matagal nang ginawa,&quot; Elvira Medina, chairperson of the National Center for Commuter Safety and Protection, said when asked about &quot;nationalizing&quot; the jeepney transport sector and giving drivers a fixed income. </p><p>&quot;Sa ibang bansa po, ang nagpapatakbo po ng public utility vehicles ay ang pamahalaan,&quot; she told ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo. </p><p>(That should have been done long ago. In other countries, the government runs public utility vehicles.) </p><p>Talk of giving jeepney drivers a fixed salary is not new. It was also floated during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, when public transportation was suspended to contain infections. </p><p>Jeepneys drivers were particularly hit hard at the time, forcing some of them to ask for alms or look for other jobs. </p><p>The Management Association of the Philippines in 2020 said fixed salaries for jeepney drivers could help improve public transportation in Metro Manila. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/27/20/give-jeepney-drivers-fixed-salaries-scrap-boundary-system-map">Give jeepney drivers fixed salaries, scrap &#x27;boundary&#x27; system: MAP</a></li></ul><p>But if a government takeover pushes through, those who have invested in the jeepney sector should be compensated, said Medina. </p><p>&quot;Paano naman po &#x27;yung mga nag-invest? Sila po ba na naghirap noon ay tatalikuran na lang natin? Paano po sila mako-compensate sa kanilang in-invest?&quot; she said. </p><p>(How about those who invested? Are we going to turn our backs on them? How can we compensate them for their investment?)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2070736" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Medina also cautioned against giving big corporations control of the jeepney sector, which she said would put smalltime operators at a disadvantage. </p><p>&quot;Kung ito po ay ina-nationalize ito po ba ay magiging government instrumentality o &#x27;yan ay gagamitin lang ng malalaking korporasyon?&quot; she said. </p><p>(If this will be nationalized, will it become a government instrumentality, or will be used by big corporations?)</p><p>&quot;Kung ibibigay lang ulit sa malalaking korporasyon ay kawawa naman po &#x27;yung mga nag-invest na nung araw. Sinabi nating maglabas kayo ng pera ninyo para tulungan ang ating transportation at ngayon ay ibibigay natin sa iba paano po mangyayari no&#x27;n? &#x27;Yun po ba ay democratic principle?&quot; added Medina.</p><p>(If this will be given again to the big corporations, those who invested previously will be at a disadvantage. We told them to shell out money to help the transportation sector, and now we will give it to others, what will happen then?)<br/> <br/>Rising fuel prices have reportedly forced jeepney drivers to ply their routes only during the morning rush hour to earn enough for food. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/06/07/22/some-jeepney-drivers-ply-routes-only-during-morning">High fuel costs force some jeepney drivers to go out only during morning</a></li></ul><p>On Wednesday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board approved a<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/08/22/ltfrb-grants-p1-jeepney-fare-hike-in-ncr-regions-3-4"> P1 provisional fare increase</a> for public utility jeepneys in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Region 4 effective June 9.</p><div><strong>—TeleRadyo, 9 June 2022</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED STORY</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2070733" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

A commuters' group backed a proposal for government to take over the jeepney sector, as its drivers grappled with rising fuel prices.