TESDA courses as alternative for unconsolidated PUV drivers? Jeepney drivers weigh in --- Ian Laqui - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the looming public utility vehicle consolidation deadline, jeepney drivers and operators said that they have no other livelihood options once the government ban them from plying their routes. TESDA courses Unconsolidated jeepney drivers and operators are now at risk of losing their source of income if the Supreme Court (SC) does not issue a temporary restraining order on the memorandum circulars issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which would enable the implementation of the PUV consolidation deadline. According to some of the jeepney drivers, the government offered them to take Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) courses to learn new skills for alternative source of income if they are not allowed to ply their routes. However, the jeepney drivers did not welcome this proposal of the government. They described the proposal “awkward” as the drivers already proved themselves as skilled workers after they passed their professional driver's license exam of the Land Transportation Office. “Kasi may license naman sila, drivers license, tapos nakapasa sila…so bakit pa po ma-aaral ng TESDA?” Maxine Ranas, a jeepney operator, said in an interview with Philstar.com. In January, TESDA urged drivers and operators who will be “displaced or otherwise affected” by the public utility vehicle consolidation to avail themselves of the “Tsuper Iskolar Scholarship Program.” This program seeks to provide free training to affected drivers and operators on technical-vocational skills. According to Ranas, this could still pose an unnecessary burden for drivers, particularly those with children who are currently studying. “Parang sinasabi nila na mag-aral po ulit….paano 'yung mga driver na may mga estudyante? Mag-aaral pa ba para i-ano sa mga tuition sa mga bata, eh andon na ‘yon eh,” she said in an interview. (It's like they're saying to study again... what about the drivers with students? Should they study again to cover the children's tuition, when it's already there?). PISTON-CAMANAVA spokesman Edwin Oreña, on the other hand, said that there should be better alternatives for jeepney drivers aside from the courses offered by TESDA. “Dapat 'yung gobyerno ang naghahain samin ng kooperatiba. Eh mag-manicure tsaka mag-kwan’ ang inaano samin…mag-kwan daw kami sa TESDA,” Oreña told Philstar.com. (The government should be the one providing us with cooperatives. Instead, they're telling us to do manicures and other activities... they're telling us to go to TESDA). Death of livelihoods For jeepney drivers, the death of their livelihoods means that they cannot sustain their families’ needs. They said that they already imagined how it would impact their lives. “Sariling kayod namin ang aming kabuhayan, kaya 'yun ang hinihintay namin magbigay sila nang kung anong kapalit nitong modernisasyon na ‘to dahil ayaw nmin mawala ang aming pang hanapbuhay,” Hernan Gallardo, a jeepney driver, told Philstar.com. (We are working hard for our livelihood, so we are waiting for them to give us what this modernization promises because we don't want to lose our source of income.) “Ang mahal na nga ng bilihin ngayon, mawawalan pa kami ng hanapbuhay?” he added. ("The cost of living is already high, and now we will lose our livelihood.) Gallardo is one of the jeepney drivers who went to Liwasang Bonifacio on Monday evening to camp there until May 1 and protest the PUVMP. The protest is part of the three-day transport strike which started on April 29 and will end on Wednesday. “Anong kinabukasan ng aming pamilya kung kami mawawalang ng hanapbuhay? May pinag-aaral kami, may sinusupportahan kaming pamilya, tapos aalisan kami ng hanapbuhay?” Gallardo said. (What will be the future of our family if we lose our livelihood? We have children studying, we support our family, and then we will lose our source of income?) Citing data from the DOTr, PISTON said that a total of 1,578 routes across the country will be affected once the PUV consolidation deadline has been implemented. TRO sought On Monday, jeepney drivers, led by PISTON, filed a petition before the SC a day before the PUV consolidation deadline as a last-ditch effort to salvage their livelihood. According to PISTON’s lawyer Neri Colmenares, the SC’s issuance of the TRO will be crucial for the jeepney drivers, while the case assailing the PUV consolidation deadline and the PUVMP is being heard by the high court. He said that this would keep the jeepney drivers afloat and not cause a transport crisis. “Nagutom na ang pamilya ng mga driver, halimbawa, nagdesisyon ang Korte Suprema dalawang buwan mula ngayon, anong hanapbuhay ng mga tsuper at operator sa dalawang buwan? Mahirapan na 'yung mga commuters, mawalan na ng sasakyan, maibabalik pa ba ‘yon?” Colmenares told reporters. (The families of the drivers are already hungry, for example, if the Supreme Court decides two months from now, what livelihood will the drivers and operators have in those two months? Commuters will struggle and lose their vehicles, can those be recovered?) “So kahit manalo kami, parang naging pirate 'yung victory diba, eh ano pa ipapanalo mo?” he added. (So even if we win, our victory would be like a pirate, right? What else can you win?) The PUV consolidation is a program under the PUVMP which requires jeepney operators to consolidate into corporations or cooperatives for them to be allowed to ply routes. The jeepney drivers said that this program will bring them a financial burden as they will be required to acquire “modern jeepneys” with prices that can reach up to P2.8 million. The first deadline for the consolidation of routes was initially set by the government on Dec. 31, 2023. It was then moved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Jan. 31, 2024. In fears of a transport crisis, the president, through the recommendation of Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista, once again moved the deadline of the consolidation to April 30, 2024. However, on April 10 this year, Marcos said that there would no longer be any extension for the PUV consolidation deadline.

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