Vice President Leni Robredo. (VP Leni Media Bureau)
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Vice President Leni Robredo assured members of the transport sector she met on Friday that they would be taken care of and their welfare protected if ever she is elected president in the 2022 national elections.
In a message before the covenant signing between her and the transport operators and drivers, Robredo said that should she win in the presidential race, she would ensure that oppressive policies that have placed the sector’s business in peril would not be continued.
“Alam ko na ‘yung sektor ninyo, isa sa pinakatinamaan during the pandemic, na marami tayong puwedeng gawin para makaahon ulit kayo. Pero ‘yung kailangan nating gawin para makaahon kayo, huwag na nating ibalik doon sa dati, huwag na tayong makuntento na maibalik lang ‘yung sa dati lang, pero gawin natin: papaano pa natin aayusin saka paiigtingin na ‘yung mga miyembro ng sektor niyo, napo-protektahan,” she said.
“Makakaasa kayo na po-proteksyunan namin kayo sa abot ng aming makakaya. So, maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo,” she added.
Among the issues discussed by Robredo is the transport sector’s stand on public transport modernization — a program which she believes drivers and operators were in favor of, but with conditions that are light on the workers.
Robredo stressed that the terms that come with the phasing out of old jeepneys and the acquisition of new ones tend to be very long and expensive — as the government’s share in the payments appear to be low.
“Ito yung pagkakaintindi ko, hindi naman kayo tutol pero ang gusto niyo lang na mabigyan kayo ng pagkakataon na maka-comply na mas magaan. Unang una, ‘yung ibibigay ng pamahalaan na kontribusyon doon sa bibilhin na bagong — ‘yung mga e-jeepneys, masyadong mababa,” she said.
“Tapos ‘yung terms sa pagbayad na binibigay sa inyo, masyadong maiksi. Ito, pinagmulan itong pag-usapan, hindi pa pandemic. So, noong nagkaroon ng pandemic, parang lalo pang lumala ‘yung sitwasyon kasi nawalan ng hanapbuhay ang marami sa inyo,” she added.
The transport modernization plan has been pushed by the current administration, as a response to accidents caused by dilapidated public vehicles and the air pollution concerns raised by environmental groups.
But while several transport groups have been supportive of the program, they have pleaded for understanding from the government especially as reduced trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been hard on their business.
Similar calls have been made despite the economy gradually recovering after the surges, with prices of oil products including widely-used diesel fuel rising rapidly in 2022.
READ: Amid pandemic, more questions raised over jeepney modernization | DOTr urged to slow down jeep modernization amid rising fuel prices
To address concerns about low income, Robredo suggests that the transport sector adopt service contracting to provide drivers an ensured salary despite the economic concerns.
“‘Yung para sa akin, puwede sanang hindi naging ganoon ka grabe ‘yung sitwasyon kung napagplanuhan ng maayos saka na-implement ng maayos. Noong nagkaroon po ng pandemic, ‘yung amin sina-suggest noon: parang mag-relyebo. Mag-relyebo na ‘yung pamahalaan, nagse-service contracting para ‘yung mga frontliners natin, may nasasakyan kahit naka-lockdown tayo,” Robredo said.
“Matagal namin ‘yun na tinutulak, pero hindi nangyari. Nangyari lang noong nagkaroon na talaga ng total shutdown ng mga public transport. Parang masyadong kulang ‘yung planong ginawa, kaya ang ginawa po ng opisina namin, nakipag-partner kami– naglagay kami ng mga shuttle buses,” she added, referring to her office’s COVID-19 response program.