A jeepney driver who asked for a minimum fare of P15 on a voluntary basis struck a few chords on social media.
GMA News uploaded a photo of the driver to Facebook on March 18.
It showed the driver driving a jeepney and a sign reading: “15 pesos minimum, voluntary kung sino po may gusto”.
The driver was driving on the Sta. Barbara-Dagupan, Pangasinan Road when a passenger spotted the sign on March 15.
The photo was first uploaded by online user Ella Garcia.
The GMA News post, meanwhile, had since circulated on Facebook, Twitter and the r/Philippines subreddit.
It has so far garnered 269,000 reactions, 7,900 comments and 27,000 shares on Facebook alone.
In the comments section, most Facebook users expressed their sympathy for the driver. Others also praised the commuters who would voluntarily give him a supplement.
“I salute commuters who understand a driver’s situation,” one Facebook user said.
“My sincere sympathy to all jeepney drivers… We are all affected by this current crisis,” commented another user.
Some Reddit users, on the other hand, have commented on how they pay more when taking public transport.
“Hindi lahat pero ako sinosobrahan ko five peso bayad ko kahit papaano makatulong lang sa kanila,” one Reddit user posted.
“Sumasakay rin ako ng tricycle and even if malaki singil nila i no longer haggle reasonable kung naman,” another user said.
A Reddit user raised an issue regarding the low minimum wage, which makes it difficult for some Filipinos to pay higher rates in the country.
“No one is defending the workforce. 10-20 years of welding stagnation, now all the work and well-being. The government does nothing against capitalist employers,” the user said.
A Twitter user also criticized the country’s transport sector.
“Abono nalang lagi para sa bayan. Imagine the three hellish years our jeepney drivers had to go through. We are NOT taking care of our transport sector,” one Twitter user noted.
Transport groups have called on the government to implement a fare hike and provide fuel subsidies amid soaring fuel prices and the economic crisis caused by the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Commissionhowever, has not yet made a decision on this.
In a previous statement, the LTFRB said petitions for a jeepney fare hike from the current P9 to the P10 have already been submitted for resolution.
The reports said the LTFRB heard the petitions today.
However, at the time of writing, there is still no decision on this.
Fuel prices have increased in many countries in Europe, Africa and Asia due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
On Monday, March 21, oil companies announced a temporary drop in the prices of their petroleum products.
The new average prices as of March 22 are as follows:
- P45 for a liter of diesel
- P45 for gasoline
- P55 for kerosene
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