Hya Bendaña, a full scholar in Ateneo who’s also the daughter of a jeepney driver, recently shared her sentiments towards people’s negative reactions regarding the recent jeepney strike.
New jeepneys can cost anywhere from 500,000 to 600,000
The recent transport strike, which happened on February 27, 2017, was a response by jeepney drivers to the jeepney modernization program by the government which they say will phase out old jeepneys.
The jeepney drivers and operators say that phasing out the jeepneys means that they will have to shell out more money to buy newer jeepneys as well as renew their franchise. A brand new jeepney in the Philippines can cost anywhere from 500,000 pesos up to 600,000.
They add that this might cause them to lose their jobs since a lot of jeepney drivers earn barely enough for the needs of their families.
A lot of commuters felt that the drivers were being unfair
Hya Bendaña’s post on Facebook shows her disappointment regarding people’s reactions to the transport strike. A lot of commuters were frustrated during the strike since they were unable to ride the jeepneys that they usually take to get to work.
A lot of commuters felt that the jeepney drivers were being unfair since they believe that the government’s measure aims to modernize public transportation, and that they felt like the jeepney drivers just didn’t want to replace their old jeepneys.
However, Hya shares that jeepney drivers such as her father, sacrifice a lot of things not only for their families, but so the government would listen to them.
She shares, “Alam niyo ba, para may ipadala siya saming allowance sa probinsya starting when I was 1st year high school, he gave up the small apartment he was renting for 1500 pesos and slept in the jeepney? Nandun siya, nilalamok, nilalamig. Pwede maholdap anytime. At gabi-gabi akong nag-aalala at nagdadasal na sana, sa gabing yun, ligtas ulit ang tatay ko.”
She adds that her father sometimes skips meals just so he can send money to her and their family, and her dad constantly worries about her health, and sometimes disregards his own just so he can provide for his family.
Hya ends with a message to her schoolmates saying, “Schoolmates, Ateneo de Manila, everyone, hindi lang po ito tungkol sa suspension o traffic. This is about being in solidarity with those who have the courage to speak for themselves.”
Read her post below:
Source: gmanetwork.com, facebook.com
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