No to Jeepney Phaseout! Yes to Pro-People modernization!
Anakbayan-USA stands with the jeepney drivers as they begin their strike today! We commend the 40,000+ jeepney drivers in Metro Manila and beyond for their unity and strength in waging this historic work stoppage. After 5 long years of struggling to participate in the jeepney phaseout and modernization program, the drivers are taking a huge stand to oppose and expose the phase out’s anti-people roll out.
This program would mandate that individual drivers join a cooperative or corporation that must acquire at least 15 modern public utility vehicles, each costing P2.4-2.6 million or $43,000+ US dollars. Only larger businesses or corporations will be able to afford this requirement,resulting in the disappearance of small business owners and ordinary drivers in the jeepney industry.
In the midst of ruinous inflation on top of the pandemic-caused one year service stoppage, the government is forcing drivers into predatory debt with no subsidies. Many drivers will be pushed to work under larger businesses who will further exploit them. Many drivers will lose their livelihoods, and be thrust into an economy where thousands toil as contractual workers or thousands more leave the country each day in search of employment.
Truly, the only winners of the Jeepney modernization plan are the big corporations who already have access to huge amounts of capital, the banks doling out the loans and reaping all of the interest, the foreign car manufacturers producing all of the vehicles, and the capitalists amongst the ranks of the government.
The Philippine government wants to push forward a bogus modernization plan to reap the benefits for themselves. Vice President Sara Duterte blasts the strike for its supposed "hardship on students." But what is the reality?
The strike is only temporary, while the lasting impacts of the jeepney modernization pose the greatest hardships on students: higher fares to pay for these new vehicles, joblessness that this plan forces students and their families into, and a lack of future opportunities.
If the government is not willing to provide a modernization plan that has lasting impacts to secure the livelihoods of the drivers and prioritizes working class people, how can we expect that they will do any different for any other sector?
The people deserve safe, accessible, and quality public transportation. Drivers deserve to have true inclusion in the modernization plan that has lasting impacts and secures their livelihoods.
We call on all youth to stand with the striking drivers!
No to Jeepney Phase Out, Yes to Pro-People Modernization!
TAKE ACTION
Follow the "No to PUV Phaseout Coalition" on FB
Post a selfie or poster with your support
for the protest. Use the hashtags #NoToJeepneyPhaseout #NoToPUVPhaseout #SupportTransportStrike
Donate to BAYAN USA to support the strike
