Set aside P31.5-B budget for rehab of traditional jeepneys , says solon

MANILA, Philippines — Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas has asked fellow lawmakers who are part of the bicameral conference committee on the proposed 2024 national budget to set aside P31.57 billion to aid jeepney drivers in acquiring newer and cleaner engines.

During the Makabayan bloc’s press briefing on Friday, Brosas mentioned that the said allocation is not part of the House of Representatives and the Senate’s respective versions of the proposed 2024 national budget — the differences of which lawmakers are trying to resolve for a final budget bill.

Should the lawmakers heed the call, Brosas said this would keep around 63,000 public utility vehicles (PUV) on the road, allowing drivers and operators to keep their jobs through cheaper solutions that are also pro-Philippines.

“Kaugnay po dito sa bicam, isa sa mga minumungkahi sana namin na mapasama sa bicam version ng 2024 budget ay ang P31.57 billion funding para sa rehabilitation ng traditional jeepneys,” Brosas said.

(Regarding the bicam, one of our suggestions is to include in the bicam version of the 2024 budget a P31.57 billion funding for the rehabilitation of traditional jeepneys.)

“Kasalukuyan pong wala ito sa 2024 budget, sa ganitong halaga, maaaring ma-subsidize ang pagpapalit ng makina ng 63,000 PUV units na di hamak na mas mura at mas maka-mamamayan, at kung ikukumpara sa napaka-mahal at maka-dayuhan na PUV modernization program na pinipilit ng gobyerno sa mga maliliit na operators at drivers,” she added.

(Currently, this is not included in the 2024 budget, but with this amount, the government can subsidize the replacement of 63,000 PUV units’ engine replacement which is cheaper, pro-people compared to the expensive and pro-foreigner PUV modernization program being forced against small operators and drivers.)

According to Brosas, they have stated this proposal in a letter to the House of Representatives leadership.

Funding, she said, can be sourced from allocations made to law enforcement and defense-oriented agencies like the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of National Defense (DND), and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).

“Sa Senate version, ang taas, or may mga increases on the budget for fascism particularly po ang PNP, merong plus P1.72 billion.  Ang DND and attached agencies plus P9.3 billion.  Sa NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) ay P1.2 billion ang tinaas, NSC (National Security Council) po ay P100.6 million ang taas.  So ibig sabihin, if you can do that, if you can increase the budget for fascism, why not itong jeepney drivers, operators natin ang ating paglagyan ng pondo,” she added.

(In the Senate version, there are increases on the budget for fascism particularly PNP, plus P1.72 billion.  For the DND and attached agencies plus P9.3 billion.  For NICA, it’s an increase of P1.2 billion, NSC with a hike of P100.6 million.  So this means, if you can do that, if you can increase the budget for fascism, why not increase allocation for jeepney drivers and operators too.)

On Thursday, at the start of the bicameral conference committee meeting on the disagreeing provisions of the respective budget bills, House committee on appropriations chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co was asked about the proposal.

Co said that they would discuss the matter, adding that they tried to place a similar allocation in the 2023 national budget.

Last November, several jeepney drivers and operators held a transport strike to protest several of the government’s policies, including the PUV modernization program which will effectively phase out old and dilapidated jeepneys.