March Recap

Illustration by Neil

The Two Sides of the Jeepney Phaseout Issue

Before the government’s plan to phase out jeepneys by 2020, there have been many past attempts to modernize the traditional jeepney. In 2007, Mitsubishi United Financial of Japan (UFJ) Securities and the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies collaborated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to replace the old engines with newer units. In 2011, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) jeepneys were launched. Unfortunately, both of these attempts failed mostly due to lack of funding.

The jeepney phaseout is a consolidated effort by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to radically reorganize the current system of how public utility vehicles (PUV) franchises are granted and routes are arranged. It is one part of a detailed plan that aims to introduce more efficient and emissions compliant vehicles, implement stricter safety measures, and enforce a simpler system with only four classes of public utility vehicles on the road. The government will require drivers and operators to form cooperatives that own 15 units each. It will also provide financial assistance through the 5-6-7-8 package: 5-percent downpayment; 6-percent interest rate; 7 years to pay. Drivers will also receive an ₱80,000 subsidy per unit. Through these programs, the government aims to make public transportation safer and more comfortable for the greater public.

However, these plans have faced backlash due to their anti-poor terms. Jeepneys comprise only 2% of the total number of vehicles on the road. Over 9 million vehicles are registered in the Philippines, and jeepneys comprise only 250,000. According to a study by the Blacksmith Institute and Clean Air Asia, jeepneys and other public utility vehicles (PUVs) contribute only 15% of the total particulate matter emissions in Metro Manila. Lastly, the current plans for the jeepney phaseout include a subsidy that hardly covers the total cost of purchasing brand-new PUVs, forcing drivers and operators to enter into debts they cannot afford to pay.

On March 6, 2023, a weeklong jeepney transport strike began. Transport groups were split on the issue. According to Manibela President Mar Valbuena, the strike would continue as long as the government did not meet their demand that the Memorandum Circular (MC) outlining the consolidation requirements be revoked. Piston president Mody Floranda and Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas president Lando Marquez said that the strike was no longer needed since the government had already conceded to some of their demands.

According to Senator Grace Poe, she hopes that the planned phaseout of jeepneys can be extended beyond December because of many flaws that need to be addressed.

Some universities, such as Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman announced that they would switch to online mode of classes for the week. De La Salle University (DLSU) suspended in-person classes.

Fraternity-Related Violence: Alleged Hazing of DLSU Student, Adamson University Student Killed

De La Salle University (DLSU) is currently investigating the alleged hazing of a student outside its campus. According to the report, the hazing was carried out by the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity, which is not recognized by the DLSU.

Jose "JL" Bautista III, an 18-year-old freshman, was reportedly hit by paddles on his legs multiple times. His fingers were squeezed with pens and he was brought to a restroom without ventilation. The members of the group hurled insults against him and his father, who was also a member of the fraternity. A female student also underwent the hazing along with him.

Meanwhile, in Adamson University, a third-year student named John Matthew Salilig was killed during the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity’s welcoming rites last February 18, 2023. More than a week later, his family finally filed a missing persons report. His body was soon found in a shallow grave in an open field over an hour’s drive away from his university.

By the time his body was found, it had already begun decomposing. An autopsy conducted on the same day declared that he died due to “severe blunt force in the lower extremities.” Several hematomas, or the pooling of blood outside the vessels, were found on his chest and thighs.

Roi Dela Cruz, a fraternity member who had undergone the rites with Salilig, said that they were hit repeatedly with a wooden paddle over 70 times. He saw Salilig have a seizure after the ritual but the other members refused to bring him to the hospital.

Authorities identified 18 persons of interest in the hazing and filed charges against six individuals. On the day Salilig was declared missing, a person of interest in the case was found dead in his home. He had committed suicide.

Students of Adamson University attended mass and a candlelight vigil for Salilig. Meanwhile, politicians condemned fraternity-related violence and amplified the calls for stricter implementation of the Anti-Hazing Law. On March 2, his body arrived in his hometown of Zamboanga.