ILOILO City – There’s no stopping the government from enforcing its transport modernization program and jeepney operators and drivers here appear to have given up their fight to oppose the phaseout of passenger jeepneys 15 years old and older.
They have formed transport cooperatives to make it easier to meet the government requirements for jeepney modernization.
The three pioneer transport cooperatives so far known are the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative, the Iloilo City Alliance of Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative and United Drivers Transport Cooperative.
“Waay naman ta mahimo. We have to modernize kay ang tanan naga-modernize na gid man to serve the commuting public,” said Rizalito Alido, secretary general of the Iloilo City Alliance of Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative.
He was reacting to the launching yesterday of a 15-fleet modern passenger jeepneys with franchises to serve three routes (from the transport terminal in Pavia, Iloilo; from the Ceres bus terminal in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo City; and from the transport terminal Barangay Mojon, Arevalo, Iloilo City all going to one end point – at a mall in Oton, Iloilo). The operator was a Manila-based company.
Alido said members of their cooperative are ready to modernize their passenger jeepneys, too.
“In fact, we have been endorsed to the Office of Transport Cooperatives (OTC),” he said.
OTC, which is under the Department of Transportation, is a government agency tasked to promulgate and implement rules and regulations that governs the promotion, organization, regulation, supervision, registration through accreditation, and development of transportation cooperatives.
“Sa umpisa medyo bug-at,” said Alido. But he expressed confidence that OTC would help their cooperative.
“Seguro indi man kita pagpabay-an kon nagakalugi kita,” he added.
The government’s move to modernize Philippine public transport aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety.
Modern jeepneys are required to have, among others, Euro 4 engines that meet the European Union emission standards on harmful chemicals (such as toxic sulfur, benzene and carbon dioxide, etc.), Global Positioning System, automatic fare collection system, dashboard camera, speed limiter, and closed-circuit television camera.
One of the unique features of the modern jeepneys unveiled yesterday was their automatic fare collection system that featured a reloadable prepaid card. A passenger could simply tap this card on a screen near the jeepney’s entrance to pay for fare.
The card is available at payment kiosks in the three transport terminals where the modern jeepneys would begin their routes and at Vista Mall in Oton, Iloilo.
But for the first few weeks of operation – while the Ilonggo riding public is still adjusting to the new system – the modern jeepneys will be accepting cash payments before going fully cashless.
These state-of-the art jeepneys also have security cameras, WiFi, television monitors, and air-conditioning.
Val Casipong, president of the United Drivers Transport Cooperative, said they welcomed the launching of modern jeepneys in Iloilo.
“Gwapo gid. Mabugnaw kag indi ka mahigkuan,” he said.
Their cooperative is supportive of the government’s transport modernization program, he stressed, and he hoped “suportahan man ini sang aton pumoluyo.”
Early this year, on the other hand, the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative announced it would help members secure loans to buy modern jeepneys.
The Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA) and the Confederation of Iloilo Provincial Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association agreed that forming the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative was the right move to help members financially.
According to ICLAJODA president Raymundo Parcon, the cooperative would have an estimated 1,000 members, all jeepney operators.
Each member would have to shell out P10,000 as share capital but an initial contribution of P2,000 would do, said Parcon.
“Indi mo na siling madali-dali hatag ang P10,000 kundi amat-amat,” he said.
The share capital represents an individual member’s financial stake in the cooperative.
Parcon said the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative would also be putting up transport-related businesses to sustain its operation such as auto-supply and vulcanizing shops./PN
