As transport group MANIBELA prepares for a nationwide strike from 15 to 17 April, many jeepney drivers in Manila are choosing to stay on the road, driven by the need to earn amid soaring fuel costs.

For drivers, the decision is not political but practical: missing a day’s work means no income, even as fixed expenses such as boundary fees continue.

“I will still continue [driving], because we still have to pay the boundary fee even if we don’t drive,” said Raymond Espejo, 40, in Filipino. “We will be the ones to suffer… we might as well just drive.”

The reluctance underscores a widening divide within the transport sector, with some independent drivers opting out of the strike, while larger groups such as the Ugnayan Transport Cooperative and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) have yet to formally declare participation.

“I am not a member of MANIBELA, I’m with ACTO,” said Ken-ken, 36, who works up to 13 hours a day to support his four children. While ACTO staged a “transport holiday” in March to protest fuel prices, many of its drivers are now prioritizing daily income over protest action.

To keep drivers operating, some cooperatives have reduced boundary fees, but earnings remain severely strained by rising diesel prices.

Anthony Cruz, 45, said he had to cut back from full-time to part-time jeepney driving after fuel costs surged from P350 to P950 per trip. He now supplements his income as a private driver while his wife also works to support their family of five.

“If both of us are not working, our family will die,” Cruz said.

For full-time drivers like Ken-ken, daily diesel expenses have climbed from P900 to P2,500, leaving him with as little as P300 after completing seven trips along the Punta-Quiapo route.

Espejo said his take-home earnings have similarly shrunk to around P200 to P300 a day.

“Parang binubuhay na lang namin ang gasolinahan saka ang operator eh,” he said. “It feels like we’re sustaining gasoline stations and operators for a living, not the other way around.”

The government has rolled out P5,000 cash subsidies for transport workers, but distribution has drawn criticism from drivers who say many were excluded from initial beneficiary lists.

“We were disappointed. All of us [in the cooperative] received nothing,” Ken-ken said, noting that even with additional payouts scheduled, some drivers remain uncertain if they will receive aid.

Amid the crisis, drivers are divided on the best course of action.

Cruz called on the government to reduce or suspend fuel taxes, while Ken-ken argued that fare increases would provide more sustainable relief.

“Increase the fares, don’t just do cash aids,” he said. “You can earn fares daily, while cash aids are one-time only.”

Espejo, however, warned that fare hikes could burden commuters and worsen inflation.

“Our biggest wish to the government is to bring fuel prices back to their original levels,” he said. “Even if fares increase by one or two pesos, it won’t be enough.”

As the planned strike approaches, the realities faced by drivers highlight a deeper issue—balancing protest with survival in the face of rising costs and uncertain support.