Jeepney Phase Out: The Jeepxit?

Jeepneys are the cultural and ingenuity symbol of Filipinos. What was originally a war vehicle became a national symbol for the country.

Jeeps are the predecessors of jeepneys. Jeeps are the standard transport vehicles used by Americans during World War II. They are sturdy and compact delivery agents for supply and combatants highly suited for the Philippines' tropical terrain.

After the war, thousands of unserviceable jeeps were left by the Americans. Filipinos' resourcefulness kicks in transforming the combatant-type wheels into the now "king of the road" status. Leonardo S. Sarao, the founder of Sarao Motors, is one of those innovators. He doubled the length of the passenger seats, added railings for passengers to hold, and railings on top to hold cargo. Soon the street was swarmed by jeepneys or jeep as the locals call them.

Jeepneys and climate change

The world is resolving many issues, like poverty, malnutrition, inflation, war, etc. Climate change is a communal issue the nations of the world do share, beyond borders, and beyond conflicts. Brazil hosted in 1992 the UN Framework for Climate Change which was signed by 162 countries. There has been several talks and promises to reduce causes of global warming here and there. For Philippines, a pledge of reducing 75% of its emission by 2030 was its latest effort as this article come into writing. Modernization by shifting to electric or hybrid vehicles is eyed by the government. There were 42,600 public utility jeepneys or PUJs by October 2021. This a small fraction from 2.5 million registered vehicles so to speak. Sadly, most jeeps which are still operational but are beyond years tend to produce more pollution if not maintained. There are 40kg of carbon dioxide emission by the day from a typical jeep, do the Math and multiply it by 42,600, that is the amount of pollution generated. Moreso if these outdated jeepneys are not properly maintained for optimal combustion performance.

Jeepneys and the law

In 2017 the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board or LTFRB and Department of Trade and Industry released 16 prototypes for jeepneys. These were locally made which adhere to the following requirements:

1. Euro 4 engines

2. CCTV cameras

3. GPS

4. Automated fare collection system

5. Front-facing seats

6. Exits on the right-hand side

These combined efforts by LTFRB and DTI is in accordance with Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. The goal is to make public transport efficient and more environment-friendly. Another point to consider is the issue of public safety when dilapidated jeepneys whose age average to 15 - 20 is still in use.

Metro Manila had an average of 2.42% PUJs incurred accidents. This is way too small with the 48.11% car accidenty by 2021. However, minor accidents especially by jeeps, are not reported.

Some jeepney owners do not operate legally. This is of most concern since commuters are not covered by safety and assurance brought about by existing regulations. Lacking papers would make passengers subject for abuse like costly fare, unsafe driving, and accident-prone incidents.

Conclusion

In its basic tenent, phasing out old jeepneys for public safety and environment preservation is admirable. However there are thousands of drivers whose income falls for 10 to 16 thousands a month, or even less, depends on jeepneys for financial survival. Millions of Filipinos are using the cheaper version of transportation in the country daily. There is also an issue of heritage as jeeps became an indirect symbol of Philippines.

Both sides have fair opinions in the matter. There are those who insists the government is not yet able to modernized fully the transportation, moreso in PUJs' case. It has to spend billions of pesos to upgrade from traditional jeeps to modern ones. While on transition, it is also a question of how commuters will manage with losing another source of mobility.

However, we should also remember that it is the duty of the government to ensure public safety. Protect our environment and our citizens by means necessary, even putting some sacrifices along the line.

Only time can tell if this marks the final years of the traditional Filipino jeeps. Are we going to see our jeeps or it is time for jeepxit?

REFERENCES:

https://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/19/the-end-of-the-jeepney-manila-goes-green.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CA%20jeepney%20generates%20about%2040,you%20change%2C%E2%80%9D%20Tinga%20said.

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/philippines/number-of-registered-vehicles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Utility_Vehicle_Modernization_Program

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1276528/philippines-road-accidents-share-metro-manila-by-vehicle-type/