KATAS NG SAUDI: WHO WILL SAVE THE PHILIPPINE JEEPNEY? TABANG! TULONG!

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*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? Sa kanilang pagsusulat, hindi ba nila pinalakas ang papel ng awtoritarianismo sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng puwersa sa mga drayber na tanggapin ito?

The country is a signatory to the Millenium Development Goals which has spawned the 17 Sustainable Development Targets, seeking to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. This also aims to integrate and balance the three aspect os sustainable development -- the economic, social and environmental. 
Ang bansa ay pumirma sa Millenium Development Goals o MDG na naglabas ng 17 targets para sa isang likas-kayang kaunlaran. Nais nitong mapasakatunayan ang karapatang pantao ng lahat at matamo ang kapantayan at pagbibigay ng kapangyarihan sa mga babae. Nais din nitong mabalanse ang ekonomiko, sosyal at pangkapaligirang kaunlaran. 

It states, among other things that "Recognizing that the dignity of the human person is fundamental" for all countries of the world. "Ang pagkilala sa dignidad ng tao ay pangunahing batayan para sa lahat ng bansa sa buong mundo."

We cannot dismiss these Targets as they were discussed and debated upon for over two years publicly and in consultation with the civil societies from all over the world. Hindi natin puwedeng isantabi ang mga mithiin sa ilalim ng MDG dahil ito ay pinagdiskusyunan at pinagdebatehan sa iba't ibang bansa, mahirap at mayaman  kasama ang mga NGO. 

Another target or goal is "a world free of poverty, hunger, disease and want, where all life can thrive." Isa pang mithiin ng MDG ay isang mundong walang naghihirap, walang kagutuman, walang kapansanan at walang pangangailangan, kung saan lahat ng may buhay ay nananahan.

And still another goal is-- which Pres. Duterte may not probably like very much - at isa pang mithiin na maaaring di gaanong gusto ni Pangulong Duterte:

"a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; of respect for race, ethnicity and cultural diversity; and of equal opportunity permitting the full realization of human potential and contributing to shared prosperity." - isang mundo kung saan may pandaigdigang respeto sa karapatang pantao, at dignidad ng bawa't tao, may pananaig ng batas, hustisya, kapantayan, kawalan ng pagtatangi, respeto sa lahi, ethnisidad (o pagkakaiba ng lahi), at pagkakaiba ng kultura; at ang pantay na oportunidad na tumutuloy sa pagsasabuhay ng lahat ng kakayahan ng tao na tumutulong sa isang kolektibang pag-unlad. 

The UN does not leave any country on her own to realize the goals but rather swears that "to work with local authorities and communities to renew and plan our cities and human settlements so as to ...reduce the negative impacts of urban actities and of chemicals which are hazardous for human health and the environment..."

Modernization Program-- AHISTORICAL

Clearly the so-called "Modernization" Transport program is addressing the environmental problem of our country which is being aggravated by the presence of polluting jeepneys. However, the action it will take -- of removing all of them from the streets -- is rather inhuman and a-historical. It is inhuman because it dismisses the sentimental link of the drivers, the operators and all of their families, as well as the associations of the drivers -- to the vehicle itself. In fact, it can ask the help of any country in the world to address the problems caused by the jeepneys. Malinaw ma ang programa ng DOTr ay nakatuon lamang sa pangkapaligiran, dahil sa polusyon na dulot ng mga jeep. Pero ang pagpapalayas sa kanila sa kalye ay hindi makatao at walang pagrespeto sa kasaysayan. Ito ay di makatao dahil hindi nito pinapansin ang madamdaming pagkakaugnay ng jeep sa drayber, sa pamilya ng mga drayber, mga asosasyon ng mga drayber, at sa mga operators -- na maaaring nakapagpatapos ng kanilang mga anak sa pag-aaral dahil sa pamamasada nila. Hindi ba't sa mga jeep ay nakasulat ang mga salitang: "Katas ng Saudi"  na nagpapahiwatig na pinaghirapan ng may-ari ng nagtrabaho sa ibang bansa upang makabili nito. 

It jumps over the fact that the jeep is a historical icon of the country already, and needs to be preserved as it gives us our identity as a people. Pinapalis nito ang katotohanang ang jeep ay isang makasaysayang imahen. 

Actually, the Sarao family, which manufactures jeepneys, has already presented its capability to change the polluting engine into an e-jeepney engine.  Sa katunayan, ang Sarao family na gumagawa ng jeep ay nagpakita na ng kapabilidad para alitan ang makina ng jeep at gawin itong e-jeepney, nakasalalay sa elektrisidad na baterya ang pagpapaandar. 

Recent reports reveal that a Philippine subsidiary of a Sigaporean group aims, the Philippines Electromobility Solutions and Consulting Group Inc., their capability to produce a "green jeepney." May mga huling ulat na isang grupo sa Asya, ang Philippines Electromobility Solutions and Consulting Group, Inc. ay handang gumawa ng "berdeng jeepney," isa ring nakasalalay sa kuryente.

What does this mean? The Philippine jeepney will not be done away with but will be improved upon -- its dieself-fed engines changed into electricity-run engines. Ano ang ibig sabihin nito? Hindi tatanggalin ang jeep; sa halip ay tatanggalin ang diesel engines at papalitan ng makinang pinatatakbo ng elektrisidad. 

COLLECTIVE DECISION-MAKING

Any plan, program or project of the government has to undergo consultations with all the sectors of society especially as it will affect the lives and livelihood of the people. Kahit anong plano, programa o proyekto ng gubyerno ay kinakailangang malaman ng taumbayan; kailangang kasama sila sa balitaktakan lalo pa kung maaapektuhan nito ang buhay at hanap-buhay ng lahat. 

On December 4, 1986, the General Assembly declared the Right to Development which contained among others the following provisions: Noong Disymeber 4, 1986, ang General Assembly ng UN nagdeklara ng Karapatang Umunlad: 

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 "1. The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized;" Ang karapatang umunlad ay hindi maaalis kaninuman at sa lahat ng taong 

gustong lumahok, mag-alay at magtamasa ng kaunlarang -- ekonomiko, sosyal, 

kultural at pulitikal, kung saan, lahat ng mga batayang kalayaan at karapatang pantao 

ay maaaring matamo.   

2. The human right to development also implies the 

full realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, 

which includes, subject to the relevant provisions of both

International Covenants on Human Rights, the exercise of their inalienable right to 

full sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources.

Subset 1. : human person is the central subject of development and should be the active participant and beneficiary of the right to development.Ang tao ang sentro ng pagpapaunlad at kinakailangang aktibong kumikilos at nagtatamacysa karapatang umunlad. 

Subset 2 -  All human beings have a responsibility for development, individually and collectively, taking into account the need for full respect for their human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as their duties to the community, which alone can ensure the free and complete fulfillment of the human being, and they should therefore promote and protect an appropriate political, social and economic order for development." Lahat ng tao ay may responsibilidad sa pagpapaunlad, ng sarili at ng pangkalahatan, na may paggalang ng buo sa kanilang karapatang pantao at mga kalayaang batayan , pati na ang kanilang mga tungkulin sa komunidad, na siya magdudulot ng pagkakaroon ng isang malaya at ganap na tao; kung kaya't kailangang isulong at tangkilikin ang mga nararapat na kaayusan para sa kaunlarang pulitikal, sosyal at pangkabuhayan. 

Note that this Declaration takes into account the human being, the individual, and the need for a holistic development, not only one or two aspects. Hence it says in Article 3, that Pansinin na ang Deklarasyon ay tinuturing ang tao, ang indibidwal at ang pangangailangan para sa isang kaunlaran na may kabuuwan. Sinasabi nito sa Art. 3:

"States have the right and the duty to formulate appropriate national development policies that aim at the constant improvement of the well-being of the entire population and of all individuals, on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of the benefits resulting therefrom." Ang mga Estado ay may karapatan at tungkulin para magbalangkas ng mga polisia na tutukoy sa parating pagpapaigi ng katauhan ng buong populasyon at lahat ng mga indibidwal batay sa isang actibo, malaya at makahulugang paglahok sa kaunlaran at sa isang makatarungang pamamahagi ng mga benepisyong makakatulong sa kanila. 

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE PHILIPPINE JEEPNEY:

Noong a-27 ng Hulyo, 2009, nagsabatas ng REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10066 na tumutukoy sa pagpapahalaga sa mga makasaysayang yaman ng ating bansa. 

on 27, July 2009, the country enacted 

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10066

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF THE NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE, STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS (NCCA) AND ITS AFFILIATED CULTURAL AGENCIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

It cites a Constitutional provision that the State "shall foster the preservation, enrichmane and dynamic evolution of a Filipino culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression."

It also mentions that the State must "conserve, develop, promote and popularize the national's historical and cultural heritage and resources, as well as artistic creations..." and that it must protect all the country's artistic and historic wealth as they constitute the cultural treasure of the nation. 

Here is one provision that is very apropos to the current debates surrounding the "Modernization program of the DOTr. Narito na ang isang probisyon ng batas na tumutugma sa mga debate tungkol sa programang "Modernization." 

"The State shall likewise endeavor to create a balanced atmosphere where the historic past coexists in harmony with modern society. It shall approach the problem of conservation in an integrated and holistic manner, cutting across all relevant disciplines and technologies. The State shall further administer the heritage resources in a spirit of stewardship for the inspiration and benefit of the present and future generations."

"Ang Estado ay nararapat na ibalanse ang kalagayan ng makasaysayang nakaraan at iayon ito sa lipunang nagbabago. Kinakailangang ang suliranin sa pag-iingat ng lahat sa bansa ay nakasalalay sa isang paraang may kabuuan at pagsasama, kaugnay ang iba't ibang disiplina at teknolohiya. Ang Estado ay kinakailangang pamahalaan ang mga pamanang yaman para maging inspirasyon at pantulong sa pangkalukuyan at pangkinabukasang henerasyon. 

What the "Mod" program aims at is complete obliteration of the jeepney -- thus Kung kaya't ang "Mod" program ay naglalayong burahin ng buo ang jeep:

1. denigrating the contributions of the designers of the jeepneys; walang pagtanaw ng utang na loob sa mga nag-disenyo ng jeep;

2, belittling the artistic contributions of the lesser-known artists who paint it with unique designs; pagmamaliit sa mga kontribusyong mapanlikha ng mga di-kilalang mga artists na nagpintura ng jeep gamit ang mga disenyong unico;

3. making us break away from our historic past, although it is a very important historical response of our jeepney designers and producers to the costly problem of transportation; and to the need to recycle the war vehicle into a vehicle of life; 

ginagawa tayong makakalimutin ng ating makasaysayang nakaraan, kahit na ang ginawa ng mga nagdisenyo at nagprodyus ng jeep ay nagnais lamang na makatulong sa  problema ng mahal transportation; ang pangangailangang palitan ang gamit ng isang behikulong panggyera para maging behikulong pambuhay. 

4. non-recognition of the voices of the general public who are the main patronizers of the jeepney; and Walang pagkilala sa mga tinig ng mga mananakay na siyang parating gumagamit ng jeep, at 

5.  creating generations of historical cretins who will have lost all their connections to the past, and Nagbubuo  ng isang henerasyong mga lampa at mangmang na walang kaugnayan sa nakaraan

- who will be uprooted and transplanted to a future that is unfeeling and irresponsive to what could possibly reinforce their love of country. 

na mawawalan ng pagmamahal sa tinubuang bayan, at mapupunta sa isang kinabukasan na walang pakiramdam, manhid at walang paki kung ano ang mangyayari at nangyayari sa ating bansa. 

  

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Short Historical Notes about the Jeepney:

Jeepneys are a popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are well known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating.

As American troops began to leave the Philippines at the end of World War II, hundreds of surplus jeeps were sold or given to local Filipinos. Locals stripped down the jeeps to accommodate several passengers, added metal roofs for shade, and decorated the vehicles with vibrant colors and bright chrome hood ornaments.

The jeepney rapidly emerged as a popular and creative way to re-establish inexpensive public transportation, which had been virtually destroyed during World War II. Recognizing the wide-spread use of these vehicles, the Philippine government began to place restrictions on their use. Drivers now must have specialized licenses, regular routes, and reasonably fixed fares.

Although the original jeepneys were simply refurbished military jeeps, modern jeepneys are now produced by independently owned factories within the Philippines. In the central Philippine island of Cebu, the bulk of jeepneys are built using second-hand Japanese trucks, originally intended for hauling cargo rather than passengers. These are euphemistically known as "surplus" trucks.

Etymology

The word jeepney is usually believed to come from the words "jeep" and "knee" because of the crowded seating, passengers must sit knee to knee. Hence, the word jeepney. The word jeepney is also commonly believed to be a portmanteau of "jeep" and "jitney". – source: http://en.wikipedia.org