From 9K to 1K: Oil hikes slash Metro Manila e-jeepney operations

Successive oil price hikes have forced modern jeepney operations in Metro Manila to drop from 9,000 units to around 1,000, with daily diesel expenses reaching P5,000 to P6,000, a transport group said Friday.

Misael Melinas, national chairperson of the National Federation of Transport Cooperative, said operators could no longer sustain full operations due to high fuel costs, monthly amortizations, and wages for drivers and conductors.

As a result, drivers’ weekly rotations have been reduced from four days to just two to three days.

“Our operators have already lowered their boundary, but they still can't afford it. That’s why the ones who drive the jeepneys are the operators themselves, so that instead of [getting only a] boundary, they keep the total earnings,” Melinas said in Filipino in a radio interview.

Despite these measures, driver-operators take home only P300 to P500 daily, which Melinas said is insufficient to cover basic needs and fuel costs.

After weeks of steep increases driven by tensions in the Middle East, fuel prices may see a rollback next week following a reported ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

Initial estimates indicate diesel prices could drop by P5.50 to P6.50 per liter, while gasoline may decrease by around P1 per liter.

However, Sharon Garin said prices are unlikely to return to pre-war levels soon due to damage to energy infrastructure in the region.

“There has been a reported trend since the ceasefire began, but as you know, it happened again; they’ve started bombing each other anew. That’s why I don’t want to speculate on prices; it’s something the DOE cannot control,” Garin said.

The Philippines imports about 95 to 98 percent of its oil from the Middle East, making it vulnerable to global supply disruptions.

While the government has rolled out fuel subsidies, Melinas said the P5,000 assistance is only enough for one day of operations.

He urged the government to consider longer-term solutions, including suspending loan payments for modern jeepney units.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a P10-per-liter fuel discount for public utility vehicle drivers and operators starting April 15.

However, transport groups are calling for a P55 rollback in diesel prices on top of subsidies, warning they may push for fare increases if relief measures fall short.