Running on empty: Drivers cry out for help

Transport group Manibela on Monday blasted the government for what it described as its continuing failure to support drivers battered by the soaring price of fuel, citing delayed payouts, mismanaged subsidies, and even “ghost beneficiaries” in relief programs.

Speaking at a press briefing, Manibela chairperson Mar Valbuena painted a stark picture of life on the road, where drivers endure 12 to 15-hour shifts only to come home with little and sometimes nothing at all.

“If those in your Cabinet do not go down to the streets and see the real situation, you will never understand what each driver is going through,” Valbuena said, addressing himself to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

He said many drivers have been forced to stop working altogether as fuel costs continue to climb.

“Even today, many of our members have already stopped because they simply can’t afford to keep operating,” he said, noting that daily fuel expenses for jeepneys have surged from around P1,200–P1,400 to more than P3,000.

“After 12 to 14 hours on the road, we’re left with barely P50 to take home,” he added.

‘Ghost beneficiaries’ and missed aid

Valbuena flagged what he called glaring lapses in the distribution of government assistance, saying some legitimate beneficiaries were left out while questionable recipients managed to receive aid.

“Not everyone received assistance — even the dead are being given aid, even those not on the list. How did this happen?” he asked.

He recounted the case of a tricycle driver who died in a hospital on 20 March before he could receive his cash aid. His daughter, Valbuena said, was not allowed to claim the assistance on his behalf.

The transport leader also took aim at the government’s service contracting program — meant to stabilize incomes through per-kilometer or per-hour payments — arguing that it disproportionately benefits cooperatives and transport corporations instead of individual drivers.

“The ones benefiting here are a few cooperatives and corporations — not the drivers, not the operators,” he said.

Valbuena also questioned the allocation of funds, noting that of the P21-billion fuel assistance program, only P2.5 billion went directly to drivers.

“This is the time the sector that was truly hit should be helped… but where are we now?” he said.

Steep prices, weak safeguards

Valbuena also accused oil companies of taking advantage of the war in the Middle East to impose immediate and steep price hikes, saying the local supply should not have been affected so quickly.

“The law has no teeth. The oil deregulation law only serves capitalists,” he said.

Fuel prices have risen for four consecutive weeks, with diesel posting multi-peso increases per liter — cutting deep into drivers’ shrinking earnings.

Manibela also criticized the regulators for failing to approve a more substantial fare increase despite the surge in fuel prices.

“We were discussing fare hikes when fuel prices were still low. Now we’re the ones begging just to survive,” Valbuena said.

The group said some UV Express drivers now make less than P300 after a full day’s work, while motorcycle riders take home as little as P40.

Strike as last resort

A coalition of transport groups is set to stage a nationwide transport strike on 26 and 27 March, which Valbuena described as a last resort after weeks of appeals for government intervention.

“We don’t want to go on strike, but we need our voices to be heard,” he said. “We’re not doing this to inconvenience commuters, but because we have no other choice.”

Manibela has called on the government to suspend the fuel excise tax, provide direct subsidies to drivers, and address alleged pricing abuses in the oil industry.

Valbuena also raised concerns over possible conflicts of interest, alleging that many gasoline stations are owned by politicians, potentially limiting their regulation.

“Many gasoline stations are owned by politicians, even members of Congress. As it stands, the law offers no protection for ordinary citizens,” he said.

For Valbuena, only decisive and structural reforms can prevent a full-blown collapse of the transport sector.

“This is our big question: how can you turn your back on us in a time of crisis? You need to hear us. We need action, not just plans,” he said.

While acknowledging that transport strikes disrupt commuters, he urged the public to understand the drivers’ plight — and appealed to passengers to pay their fare because not doing so further cuts into their already meager earnings.