The strike prompted Malacañang to suspend classes and government work nationwide on Monday, October 16, 2017.
Earlier, on September 25, 2017, the members of the transport group Stop and Go Coalition held a strike to protest the government's plan to phase out old jeepneys, which will deprive them of their livelihood.
Now, let us emphasize this, Folks, the Philippines has been part of the global organization of the United Nations since 1942 and no one can erase that historical event.
We are a signatory to the 1942 UN Declaration from which the UN Charter of 1945 was based. We are also among the 51 original member states and one of only four Asian nations that signed the charter which began the UN Operations.
Now, a recent political problem is the creation of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program. A major component of the program is the phaseout of all jeepneys including old PUVs, according to Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. He said that most jeepneys “are of substandard quality in terms of safety and environmental sustainability.”
This program in its implementation is not in tune with the goals of the United Nations. But first, let us talk about the jeepney.
What is the Jeepney? Ano ba ang dyip? Saan ito nagsimula?
Leonardo Sarao, a kutsero, who turned auto mechanic, produced the jeepney using the Willy’s jeep, a product of World War II, in his small garage in Las Pinas,in 1953. (Jovic Yee, Lyn Rillon, PDI, April 23, 2017) Other mechanics had done it before he did.
Si Leonardo Sarao, isang kutsero na naging mekaniko, ay gumawa ng jeep gamit ang Willy’s jeep, isang sasakyan noong WWII, sa kanyang garahe noong 1953.
From 1960 to 1980, Sarao, the company, produced about 200 jeepneys a year. Mula noong 1960 hanggang 1980, ang Sarao ay nagpo-prodyus ng jeep sa daming 200 bawa't taon.
The features of the Philippine jeepney are: Ang mga katangian ng jeep ay ang sumusunod:
1. It is originally designed by the Filipino mechanic; Ito ay orihinal na disenyo ng isang Pilipinong mekaniko;
2. The designs on the body, which are uniquely Filipino, came about as a regular feature because the customer/buyers wanted their jeepney to contain features of their province/their children’s faces/ and even their penchants for super heroes. Ang mga disenyo sa katawan nito ay tatak Pinoy, na naging palasak na disenyo dahil ang mga bumibili ay humiling na lagyan ng mukha ng kanilang mga anak o kaya larawan ng kanilang mga gustong super hero;
3. The jeepney is a vehicle that incorporates a feature that is unique to our society: it has two long seats facing each other, at the back of the driver. The passengers, through the years, have developed, through time, a uniquely Philippine system of collectively helping each other make their fares reach the driver’s hands safely. This in effect is an implicit bond among the passengers that the jeepney has spawned among us, the citizens. Ang jeep ay isang behikulong unika lamang sa ating lipunan: may dalawang mahahabang upuan na magkaharapan sa likod ng drayber. Ang mga pasahero, sa pagdaraan ng mga taon, ay nakapagbuo ng isang sistema kung saan natutulungan nila ang bawa't isa na maipadala ang mga pamasahe nila sa kamay ng drayber. Kung kaya't ang epekto nito ay isang pahiwatig na ang mga sumasakay ng jeep ay nagkakaisa kahit hindi binibigkas;
4. Even the estribo at the back of the jeep is built so that passengers who cannot be given a seat inside the jeep may be allowed to hold on or hang on there till the jeepney reaches their destination. Kahit ang estribo sa likod ng jeep ay inilagay upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon yung mga mawawalan ng upuan sa loob ng jeep na sumabit na lamang hanggang sa makarating sa destinasyon nila, isang pagkilala sa pagkakaisa ng "riding public;
5. Two passengers on the front seat beside the driver can be accommodated – probably developed for the family members of the driver to join him in the ride around the city/town, etc. Ang pagkakaroon ng upuan sa tabi ng drayber ay isa ring paraan upang ang mga mahal sa buhay ng drayber ay makasama niya sa pamamasyal habang siya ay namamasada; at siyempre karagdagang kita rin kung mga ordinaryong pasahero ang ookupa nito;
In other words, the jeepney is truly a Philippine product and which has made us famous throughout the world. Kidlat Tahimik even brought a jeepney to Paris in order to showcase our product. Sa makatuwid, ang jeep ay isang tunay na produktong Pilipino at nakapagpatanyag pa sa atin sa buong daigdig. Dalawang Papa ng Katolikong Simbahan ang nakasakay na sa popemobile na hango sa disenyo ng jeep -- sina Pope John Paul II at si Pope Francis. Si Kidlat Tahimik ay nagdala na rin ng jeep sa Paris para iparada ito sa mga Pranses.
It has acquired fame because of its usefulness and beauty even beside the sleek cars and vehicles of –car mass-producing countries. Nakilala ito dahil sa maraming gamit - pagdadala ng mga mabibigat ng kargo, pagsasakay ng siksikan at kagandahang uniko lamang sa kanya kahit na itabi pa sa ibang mga sasakyang inilalabas ng mga ibang bansa.
|The jeepney becomes the center of attention now because the DOTr is using the word, "Development" to phase out the jeepney. He finds it OLD, POLLUTANT, AND EYESORE on the roads. Ngayon, ang jeep ay sentro ng ating atensyon dahil gamit ang salitang "Development" o "kaunlaran" palalayasin na raw ang jeep sa kalye. Matanda, nagbubuga ng masamang usok at masakit sa mata.
Meanwhile, Pistom claims that about 650,00 jeepney drivers and 250,000 operators would be suffering from this government plan to phase out jeepneys aged 15 years old and over. Samantala, ang sabi ng Piston may 650,000 drayber at 250,000 operator ang maghihirap dahil sa planong ito ng gubyerno na palalayasin ang mga jeep na 15 anyos at pataas ang idad.
Development
The UN has a definition of "Development" to which our country is a signatory. Development means to improve the people's well-being, one of the central aims of the UN. Nowadays, the word Development has been coupled with the word, sustainable - one that "promotes prosperity, economic opportunity, greater social well-being and protection of the environment."
May depinisyon ang UN sa "Kaunlaran" na sinang-ayunan ng ating bansa. Ibig sabihin ng Kaunlaran ay para mapabuti ang katauhan ng mga tao. Sa ngayon, ang Kaunlaran ay dinidikit na sa salitang "likas-kaya" o "renewable" o"sustainable" isang uri ng pag-unlad na nagdadala ng kaginhawahan, pagkakataong gumaling ang hanapbuhay, mas magandang kagalingan at pangangalaga ng kapaligiran.
The program of the DOTr seems to address only the latter -- "protection of the environment." The rest, "promoting prosperity" is geared to the financiers of the loans for the purchase of the new jeepney at a cost of P1.2M and above to be shouldered by the jeepney drivers (the government is offering P80,000 to help the drivers purchase initially.) The financiers (and those down the line who will facilitate the release of the loans) will enjoy the profits from the sale. The phrase, "economic opportunity" does not seem geared for the jeepney drivers because the loan will saddle them with paying the mortgage for three years at P400,000.00 a year plus interest, or P33,333 per month more, not less; divided by 30 days = P1,111.00 more that the drivers have to shell out for 1095 days.
Mukhang ang programa ng DOTr ay nakatuon lamang sa huli -- ang pangangalaga ng kapaligiran. Ang iba, "yung tungkol sa ekonomiko" ay nakatuon sa pagpapalago ng kita ng mga maglalabas ng pautang, hindi ng mga drayber. Ang utang ng drayber sa isang E-jeep ay P1.2M na kailangang bayaran sa loob ng tatlong taon, o P400,000 bawa't taon o P33,333.00 bawa't buwan. Kung hahatiin sa 30 araw, magiging P1,111.00 kada araw, at sa loob ng 1095 na araw o 3 taon.
How much would be left in the hands of the drivers after a day's work? At present, they are earning P800 to P1,000 per day, driving from 4 to 5 a.m. up to 9 or even 10 p.m. Is this what is called "Development?"
Magkano ang matitira sa drayber na kumikita lamang ng P800 hanggang P1,000 kada araw, at pumapasada mula alas 4 o 5 ng umaga hanggang alas 9 o alas 10 ng gabi. Ito ba ang tinatawag na "Kaunlaran?"
Let us examine "social well-being." Whose social well-being will the program benefit? This phrase should mean that the drivers shall have a healthy, wholesome family and social lives. Yet if they are working 10 to 12 hours a day so that they could earn enough to pay for the loan, how much energy and healthy minds will they have when they retire at night? Suriin natin ang mga salitang panlipunang kagalingan or social well-being. Ang ibig sabihin nito, ang mga drayber ay magkakaroon ng malulusog, masasayang pamilya at buhay na panlipunan. Subali't kung kailangan nilang magtrabaho ng 10 hanggang 12 oras sa isang araw, para makabayad ng utang, may enerhiya pa ba silang matitira para sa pamilya?
Will they still be able to contribute to the debates and discussions, not only at home but also in society in order to improve and advance the quality of life of transportation drivers? Kaya pa ba nilang makipag-debate, makipagtalastasan para umigi ang buhay ng pamilya at ng lipunan?
Sustainable Development
The UN developed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its aims are:
Naglabas ang UN ng 2030 Agenda para sa Likas-kayang Kaunlaran:
1. to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfill their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment. - tapusin ang kahirapan at kagutuman para magkaroon ng karangalan at kapantayan sa isang malusog na kapaligiran.
2. to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations. -para mapanatili ang kalusugan ng planeta, sa pamamagitan ng likas-kayang paggamit at produksyon ng mga likas-yaman para masuportahan ang pangkasalukuyan at mga salin-lahi.
3. to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature. -- upang siguruhin na lahat ng tao ay magtatamasa ng isang mayaman at kaiga-igayang pamumuhay na hindi salungat sa Kalikasan.
4. to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. -- upang makapagsulong ng isang matahimik, makatarungan at walang pagtatanging lipunan na libre sa takot at karahasan.
Inarguably, the Transport program only addresses the second aim of the MDG. The rest which centers on the effects of any government program on the human being and society are not sustainable. --sa ating pagsusuri, ang Transport program ay tumitimo lamang sa pangalawang misyon ng MDG.
A more important goal of the MDG is to realize "the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls." --ang isang mahalagang misyon ng MDG ay maisakatuparan "ang mga karapatang pantao ng lahat at matamo ang kapantayan at pagbibigay ng kapangyarihan sa lahat ng mga babae at batang babae.
I have seen only one female driver driving the public jeepney. Now where is the socalled "development?" Since 1953, the jeepney has existed as a public vehicle but the women have been shut out from enjoying working as a driver. Not even the girls are encouraged to someday work as a driver of the vehicle. Isang babaeng drayber lamang ang nakita kong namamasada ng jeep. Ngayon, nasaan ang tinatawag na "Kaunlaran?" Simula noong 1953, ang jeep ay nabubuhay na pero ang kababaihan ay sinarhan ng pagkakataon ng makapagtrabaho. Kahit na ang mga batang babae ay hindi ineengganyong matutong magmaneho ng jeep.
Is that "development?" Iyan ba ang tinatawag na kaunlaran?
Who will bear the brunt of the miscalculations about the pricing of the so-called "modern vehicle?" The passengers! Sino ang magpapasan ng mga pahirap sa pagpapatupad ng programang ito? Ang mga pasahero!
I was at Recto Avenue, Quiapo, one time, wanting to go to Divisoria. Then I saw this small E-jeepney that seats about 8 people. I was about to sit myself, when I asked the driver, "Magkano ho hanggang Divi?" Beinte raw. "Ano beinte singko sentimos?"
"Hindi, girl, beinte pesos."
Meron pa bang sasakay ng "so-called modern jeep" kung beinte pesos ang isang sakay? Wow! Isang rootbeer soft drink at banana cake na yun, meryenda sa isang hapon.
When we use the word "modernization," let us not equate it with "development." "Modernization as used nowadays has many controversial features. Some people think that when they use the word, "Modern" then they are being up to date, when in fact, they could be hiding other factors that are affecting so-called "modernization acts." Kapag ginamit natin ang salitang "modernisasyon," huwag nating ipantay ito sa "development" o "kaunlaran. Akala ng ilang tao, kapag ginamit nila ang salitang "Modern" ay wow, au courant sila, o sikat na sila at hindi nahuhuli sa fashion.
Actually, "Modernization theory stresses not only the process of change but also the responses to that change." Sa katunayan, ang "teoryang modernisasyon ay nakatuon hindi lamang sa proseso ng pagbabago kundi sa mga tugon din sa pagbabagong yan. Nguni't parang di pinapansin ang mga tugon ng taumbayan.
Who are the theoreticians of change in society? Sinu-sino ba ang mga intelektuwal ng nagsusulong ng pagbabago sa lipunan?
I don't care about them, except about Max Horkheimer (Max Horkheimer, (born February 14, 1895, Stuttgart, Germany—died July 7, 1973, Nürnberg), German philosopher who, as director of the Institute for Social Research (1930–41; 1950–58), developed an original interdisciplinary movement, known as critical theory, that combined Marxist-oriented political philosophy with social and cultural analysis informed by empirical research.) who said that a critical theory must: Isa lamang ang pinaniniwalaan ko, si Max Horkheimer na nagbuo ng isang kilusang tinawag na "mapagpunang teorya." Narito ang mga sinabi niya na ang isang teorya dapat ay:
1. "account for the whole of society within historical context; sa kabuuan ang teorya dapat ay may pagturing sa lipunan at tumatalakay din dapat sa kasaysayan;
2. "it should seek to offer a robust and holistic critique by incorporating insights from all social sciences." One particular field, or sector that the present so-called DOTr program is sidestepping is history. Dapat ay mag-alay ito ng isang mayabong na kritiko at naglalaman ng mga pananaw mula sa lahat na siyensiyang panlipunan. Isang larangan na hindi binabanggit ng DOTr program ay ang kasaysayan.
Who are the intellectuals who developed that program? in their formulation of the program, were they not strengthening the role of authoritarianism in the country as the program is being rammed down the throats of the jeepney drivers? Sinu-sino bang ang mga intellektuwal na nagbuo ng programa?
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