ILOILO City – “Gutom na kami… lubong na kami sa utang.”
Drivers of modern jeepneys under the Iloilo City Alliance Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC) are complaining they have yet to receive payment from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for offering “Libre Sakay” (free ride) to the public.
“Libre Sakay” is a Service Contracting Program (SCP) under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) to help the transport sector adversely affected the coronavirus disease pandemic.
From April 19 to June 30 this year, around 200 modernized jeepneys in this city and Iloilo province (San Joaquin, San Miguel and Cabatuan tows) offered free rides.
According to driver Rafael Prudente, 44, of Barangay Lanit, Jaro district, they have yet to be fully paid by the government.
“Ang nabayad sa amon daw 12 days lang,” Prudente told Panay News.
Prudente added that their cooperative, through their president Rizal Alido, complained to LTFRB’s central office but they were referred to the Department of Budget and Management.
“Ginapasa-pasa kami, waay kami sukton kon sin-o,” Prudente said. “Tani padasigon man nila. Gutom na kami, lubong na kami sa utang. Ang amon (cooperative) daw wala na kapital, naubos na ka ruling sa fuel namon kag sa maintenance.”
Drivers under the under ICAODTC were forced to halt their services for 20 days in July. Their cooperative barely had funds for their fuel.
According to Prudente, their cooperative had to shell out at least P54,000 daily for their fuel expenses during the “Libre Sakay” period.
“Sa duha ka bulan halos milyon ang ginpangutang sang coop para lang sa fuel. Ti, gin-release-an kami sang 12 days, sa fuel pa lang kon ibayad na sang coop kulang pa. Ti, may mga drivers pa kag maintenance, may office staff pa,” Prudente lamented.
The operations of the modern jeepneys during the “Libre Sakay” period had two shifts every eight hours.
The ICAODTC has 28 units with 64 drivers.
Prudente also explained that the computation of their payment is based on the kilometers they had consumed.
In LTFRB’s Memorandum Circular No. 2021-029, drivers and/or operators of modern PUJs plying Iloilo City routes should receive from the national government a subsidy of P52.50 per kilometer while those of provincial modernized jeepneys, P82.50.
To determine their travel length, Global Positioning System (GPS)-capable mobile phones are attached to their vehicles.
“Pasalamat kami tani sa gobyerno kay ginhatagan kami sang proyekto. Abi namon maka-income kami. Ang natabo ahuy-an kami sa gin-utangan namon,” said Prudente.
Harold Huesa of Cabatuan, Iloilo also had the same sentiment.
“Ihatag nila ang sweldo…Gutom ang pamilya namon…Lubong kami sa utang…Dugay-dugay ginabalik kami sa gina-utangan namon,” Huesca told Panay News.
Panay News is trying to reach LTFRB Region 6 for comment./PN
