DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Youth groups in Davao City held a picket on Monday November 24 that slammed the Davao City’s bus system which remains unimplemented. This action is also part of the build-up of the second nationwide protest against corruption and lack of government services on November 30.
The activist group Anakbayan raised the local issue of public transportation woes where hundreds and thousands of students and the riding public have difficulty commuting in jeepneys during peak hours.
They blame the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP) which is replacing jeepneys with modern buses. Thousands of franchises for jeepneys have not been renewed in recent years, but the buses have yet to arrive.
Last October, ten buses imported from China arrived as part of the project’s pre-implementation. These units are expected to begin offering free rides during peak hours to the public by mid-November, but they remain non-operational.
Anakbayan Southern Mindanao chair Fauzhea Guiani said they are not against improving the city’s public transport, but this should not be done at the expense of forcing thousands of jeepney drivers to lose their livelihood.
“Implementing the Davao Bus Project is a burden for drivers and commuters. Not less than 7,000 public utility drivers will lose their livelihood due to the phase-out,” Guiani said.
Davao’s modern bus system could only employ 50 people for its system, including 22 drivers.
Guiani argues that the trial run is “meant to condition commuters to accept the project”
by offering free rides at its early phase, but would later charge a high rate at a minimum of P35.
The youth leader said relying on a project funded by foreign banks will not solve the city’s transport problems.
The DCPTMP has entered a loan the Asian Development Bank (ADB) worth $1-billion (P 54.89-billion) that will procure 1,1000 euro-standard buses that would cater to 800,000 passengers in Davao City.
Anakbayan said there are alternatives being proposed such as rehabilitating public jeepneys and reinstating their five-year franchise validity.
Read more on Davao City people’s reaction on the jeepney phaseout here
https://davaotoday.com/economy/transport-sector-seeks-public-support-in-fight-vs-jeepney-phaseout/
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17eCJTjyZ9
(davaotoday.com)
