The Human Cost of Jeepney Phaseout

Ever since I was young, jeepneys have been our way of transportation. I am a commuter, and jeeps are always the transportation I use. But lately, the air has grown heavy with the smoke of uncertainty. The jeepney phaseout, a foregoing issue, has left a bitter taste for jeepney drivers. As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, this tweet caught my eye. A "tsuper" holding a banner that read, "Walang pasko kung may drayber na mawawalan ng trabaho!" (There's no Christmas if there's a driver who will lose a job!) It pierced my heart seeing it. 

While I agree that air pollution is a serious concern and jeepneys, with their age and emissions, undeniably contribute, it is so inhumane that millions of Filipinos who depend on this job will lose their source of income in a blink of an eye. In my opinion, the government's plan, while well-intentioned, is making the lives of jeepney drivers miserable. The burden of modernization seems to fall entirely on their shoulders. I can't help but ask: Is this really progress? When we talk about environmental issues, we should also be talking about human rights. This isn't just an environmental issue; it's a social one. While we strive for cleaner air, we can't afford to choke out the livelihoods of our people. We shouldn't let the jeepney drivers be alone in this. I stand with the jeepney drivers; they shouldn't be red-tagged.

Written by Mekyla Jane Ticar