OTC: Drivers alone won’t pay for modern jeeps, coops will own the units

Modern jeepneys are parked at a terminal in San Juan city. (File photo from INQUIRER / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — Individual jeepney drivers will not solely bear the monthly amortization of modern jeepneys once their corporation or cooperative acquires these upgraded units.

The Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) Chairman Andy Ortega clarified on Tuesday.

Ortega made the clarification amid rumors that the monthly payment of modern jeepneys under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) will be paid by the drivers alone.

“Dahil kooperatiba na sila, korporasyon, it is now that entity na magmamay-ari [ng units] at bibili at magbabayad,” he explained over a Radyo 630 interview.

(Because they are a cooperative, a corporation, it is now that entity that will own [the units], buy, and pay.)

Sama-sama po sila. Hindi po tama ‘yung mga lumalabas sa ibang grupo na ‘yung driver will shoulder the vehicle price,” he said.

(They are together. The claims from other groups that the driver will shoulder the vehicle price are not true.)

He also highlighted that the cooperative or corporation will create a budget plan, including the drivers’ salaries and monthly amortization for the units.

“It is not one is to one. It is the group that will shoulder all the expenses based on the earnings of everybody,” Ortega reiterated.

He elaborated that if a cooperative has a monthly earning of, for example, P120,000 and incurs expenses worth P100,000, then, the income will be utilized to cover the group’s expenses.

“So, ‘yung P20,000 [na sobra], mapupunta ‘yun sa kooperatiba as earnings hanggang sa lumaki. Sa dulo ng taon, mayroon kayong dibidendo.

(So, the P20,000 [excess], that will go to the cooperative as earnings until it grows. At the end of the year, you will have dividends.)