PISTON: P5,000 aid ‘not enough’ as fuel costs squeeze jeepney drivers

PISTON President Mody Floranda said the P5,000 cash assistance provided by the government offers only temporary relief to jeepney drivers affected by the continued rise in oil prices.

In an exclusive interview with DZRH, Floranda explained that the subsidy would cover only about one and a half days of driving, noting that daily fuel expenses reach around P3,600, with each liter costing about two kilometers of travel.

He added that PISTON is urging the government, particularly President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to pursue broader solutions that would benefit not only drivers but the entire country.

“What we are calling for is for the government to focus on removing the high tax on oil so that not only one sector will benefit—everyone will benefit,” Floranda said in Filipino.

Floranda also expressed surprise at the cancellation of the proposed P1 fare increase for jeepneys, which was supposed to take effect on 19 March, saying it could have helped drivers cope with rising costs.

He noted that drivers who previously earned around P500 to P800 daily are now earning only P200 to P300, despite working 12 to 18 hours a day, because most of their income goes toward fuel.

“As of now and in recent weeks, whereas drivers were able to take home P500 to P800 pesos, as of now, they are only able to take home P200 to P300 even if they operate 12 to 18 hours a day, because it only goes to high oil prices,” he said.

Floranda warned that many drivers may be forced to stop operating if fuel prices continue to rise, as their earnings would no longer be enough to meet daily needs.

He added that PISTON will continue to hold transport strikes in the coming weeks unless the government addresses concerns over the oil deregulation law and rolls back diesel prices to P55.