Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña is urging the national government to adopt a service contracting scheme for public utility jeepneys (PUJs), citing its effectiveness in supporting both drivers and commuters amid rising fuel costs.
Cendaña pointed to the program implemented by the Manila city government as a working model, where jeepney drivers are contracted and paid a fixed daily rate to provide free rides to passengers.
“Gusto ko sanang mapag-usapan dito sa Kongreso at puwedeng pag-aralan at gawin ng national government yung service contracting pagdating sa mga PUJs. We really encourage the government to adopt the mechanism that they’re doing now in Manila where in kinokontrata ng local government ang ating mga tsuper para sila ay magbigay ng libreng sakay sa ating mga kababayan,” Cendaña said.
Under the Manila initiative, drivers receive ₱3,500 per day, ensuring a stable source of income while commuters benefit from accessible transportation during the ongoing fuel crisis.
The lawmaker argued that this approach offers a more sustainable solution compared to one-time fuel subsidies, which he described as temporary relief measures.
“Yun kasi ang pagkakaiba ng ayuda at tsaka ng service contracting. It means for a period of time ‘yan man ay dalawang buwan o tatlong buwan meron silang magiging regular na kita mula sa gobyerno para suportahan ang mga pangangailangan nila,” he said.
Cendaña noted that the service contracting model had already demonstrated its effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic and could serve as a long-term framework for improving the country’s public transportation system.
“Napakahalaga kasi na tingin natin na magandang step ito toward eventually improving national public transport system natin. Kasi this worked during the pandemic. Magandang tingnan at model ito eventually of the public transport in the Philippines,” he added.
He emphasized that adopting such a system could help prevent jeepney drivers from suspending operations due to soaring fuel prices driven by global tensions, while also ensuring continued mobility for commuters.
Cendaña is now calling on Congress and the national government to seriously study and consider the service contracting model as a sustainable support mechanism for the public transport sector.