DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The fluorescent glow of the gas station sign shimmers off the slick pavement of Quirino Avenue, mirroring the weary glint in Albert Violanda’s eyes. Each click of the pump adding a peso to his bill feels less like fuel for his battered jeepney and more like a drain on his children’s dinner table. Today, June 24, another staggered hike in fuel prices makes another tight squeeze for Davao’s jeepney drivers on their pockets.
This week, oil firms implemented a series of increases, pushing gasoline up by around ?3.50 per liter, diesel by ?5.20 per liter, and kerosene by P?.80 per liter.
These adjustments, though staggered to “soften the blow” as the Department of Energy (DOE) puts it amidst tension in the Middle East, are still relentless for motorists.
IBON Foundation points out that the continuous surge in oil prices is primarily fueled by speculation and profiteering by large oil companies, not solely by the ongoing conflicts. The DOE itself has reportedly admitted there is no actual oil shortage or supply cut from conflict regions.
After filling up his jeep, Albert continues his daily grind. At age 51, he is now a veteran of Davao’s bustling routes over two decades.
He works alongside his wife to make ends meet for their four children, one of whom is already in school, while three younger ones rely heavily on their parents’ combined income. “My child’s daily allowance here is P250, then we still have our daily consumption. I have three small children, but my salary here is so small,” he shares, his voice tinged with the weight of responsibility.
For Albert, stopping his daily grind isn’t an option. “I really need to drive every day,” he asserts, knowing that falling short of their income would be a huge burden for his wife.
He makes three to four trips a day, bringing in a gross income of up to ?1,800. But the deductions swiftly eat away at his earnings: ?700 daily to the jeepney owner where he rents his unit, then around ?750 for 14 liters of gas he consumes, and ?250 allowance for his graduating son. The remaining paltry sum is all that’s left for his family’s needs. “The effect of the oil hike really hits us hard,” he states, a quiet resignation in his voice.
(Watch these interviews with Davao jeepney drivers reacting on the recent fuel price hike: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CLaDHuNQZ/)
The struggle is shared with another jeepney driver, Martin, who paints a picture of inconsistent earnings. “Most of the time, my income is just ?800 to ?1,000. It’s really not consistent; it varies. There are times when it’s really slow,” he explains.
Taking 12 liters for his three daily rounds, Martin estimates he usually takes home only ?300 to ?400 per day after fuel costs, and from this, he still deducts their daily household expenses.
The Philippine Statistics Authority estimates that a family of five in Davao region needs to spend around ?13,134 a month to cover basic needs.
Folymn Pamat, 38, has been a driver for 15 years, echoes the sentiment of vulnerability. “Our income depends on whether we have passengers, because there are times when we don’t even have any, or we have very few, and that takes a lot off our daily income.”
The recent increases in fuel and its effect on prices of commodities have been particularly crushing. “This increase is really big, it’s disheartening,” he expressed. He estimates gaining ?700 per trip, but spends ?300 to ?400 of that on gas for each trip.
Folymn usually takes home ?700 to ?900 from his trip for a day, but when asked if it was enough, he quickly responds, “No! With so many things to buy and our household expenses.” As the sole provider for his three schooling children and his wife, the lack of sufficient funds for daily needs, let alone emergencies like medical care, weighs heavily on him.
“For my children, it’s just for their allowance,” he laments, adding that the price hike “really has a big effect because our income decreases.” For drivers like him, it’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a crisis.
For Davao’s jeepney drivers, the struggle is personal. It’s etched on the faces of men like Albert, Martin, and Folymn. It’s about more than just numbers on a fuel pump, it’s about dignity, the ability to put food on the table, and the stark choice between an extra trip to earn a few more pesos or getting home to their families before the streetlights dim.
As the roar of their engines fills the Davao streets, it’s accompanied by the quiet anxieties of men who, despite driving forward, often feel like they are running on empty. (davaotoday.com)
jeepney phaseout, oil price increase
