Muffled sounds from the television and the disappointed faces occupied the entirety of my family’s living room. In times like these, warm conversations and cold beverages become a familiar scene. But in today’s sizzling afternoon—the usual routine died along with our hopes for a better Philippines.
As the tensions in the Middle East escalated, fuel prices also rose. The reporter on the news channel explained that the supply chain for oil has been disrupted and it is expected that the price will increase from about ₱56.10 per liter three months ago to almost ₱100 per liter today! At first, the weight of the problem didn’t seem to affect me despite the horrible looks my parents had on their faces. I mean, what could even happen with just a slight change in the economy?
Sweat dripping, chest heaving, and the clock ticking. I was late for school! Our oral recitation was in the first period of the very morning and I just took my sweet time preparing for the day! As my fist filled with a single ₱10 coin reached towards the driver to pay my fare, he looked at it with slight pain in his eyes.
“Iha, 15 pesos na ‘yung pamasahe,” the sweaty and tanned driver said.
Jeepneys have been a constant in Filipinos’ daily public transportation. Even way before the price hiked to almost ₱100 per liter, there were never enough vehicles to ferry the hundreds of commuters both in cities and provinces. But now, left with no choice—they can no longer own the road due to personal reasons that threaten their earnings and needs for survival.
A one-thousand-peso bill is not enough for an average jeepney driver. For maintenance and fuel alone, it can cost around ₱850 to ₱1,000. If they need to spend it on the vehicle’s needs, what will be left for their family that is waiting back at home? To respond to this problem, they do overtime routes and oftentimes carry more passengers than what the average jeepney should have the capacity for—though this typical scene has become irritating for commuters who prefer to sit comfortably or are in a hurry to their destination, the drivers are left with no choice—they have to resort to this tactic or else not even a single peso would be left in their pockets. With this strategy, they can earn up to ₱400, though it’s not grand and probably not worth the passengers’ stressed commotions—it is more than enough for them to serve food on the table. However, this soul-sucking situation was just before the price hike.
Nowadays, the drivers barely earn ₱200—if they are on a lucky day. As the monstrous fuel numbers enlarge and fatten themselves up to ₱130, the earnings shrink and tremble in either fear or hunger. To try and cope with this, drivers wake up at the crack of dawn and return to their humble homes when nocturnal workers tuck themselves in bed. As dangerous and unhealthy as this may sound for both behind the steering wheel and on the passenger seats—this still doesn’t make their income grow bigger and stronger. It just entices the monsters to laugh and point at their struggles.
For weeks on end, the prices of fuel kept increasing. Drivers wailed each time they passed by a gasoline station that hiked their charges and students winced in pain upon seeing their coins become scarce for a ride home. In provinces, what used to be roads filled with racing cars and public transportation now seemed like an empty and quiet Sunday despite the actual date being a workday. Though the problem didn’t stop with the oil—it also gradually affected the prices of the food we consume to survive and products we use for everyday needs. It was wreaking havoc among the people—a tornado that threatened to ravage the lives that were barely getting by.
While I scrolled through my phone—desperately finding an escape from this horrid reality, a post from our local government lit up my screen.
“LIBRENG SAKAY,” the headline of the post read.
It is an initiative that offers free rides on selected tricycles, jeepneys, and buses, and was implemented to support local drivers and everyday commuters as they battle against the ongoing dilemma. As soon as the project took flight, the road of hope became a bit clearer! More public transportation became available for everyone, drivers can better support their families, and people can finally go to work and school without having to question if they still have enough coins left for fare. Libreng Sakay seemed like a small move in the huge chessboard of problems—but it did become the pioneer for a soon-winning-game.
The nightmares of our public transportation’s heroes had temporarily eased. The bare wooden dining table is now dressed in choices of different viands. What used to haunt these drivers’ minds daily—has now finally stopped. They no longer have to wake the morning birds up everyday just to put food on their tables. The monsters that they once feared have now crippled and died in some corner of this world. The Libreng Sakay initiative not only helped drivers provide for their families, but also created momentum. To take our country’s drivers to higher stages in life where not only they can survive in this world–but also create doors of endless opportunities for them and their loved ones.
In our town—the local government set up a routine for which drivers would be assigned in the Libreng Sakay and how many hours they would drive. After weeks of bathing in hopelessness, the air is slowly clearing up! Passengers from far-flung places rested in assurance knowing they can get to their homes without thinking about the expensive fare and the availability of transportation. Drivers now smile and wave to any commuter and accept them wholeheartedly without the thought of gasoline and prices weighing heavily on them. And slowly but surely, dominoes fell into place. Other neighboring local governments soon imitated the practice and did the same for their towns. Who knows, this might even reach nationwide!
Though of course, the prices still didn’t drop any lower, may it be food or oil—it was still on the hike. But, the project definitely lifted a bulk off of people’s shoulders. Libreng Sakay eased the burden on many people and gave them a fair start in this race of life. The initiative became a comforting lullaby that sings the commuters to a deep sleep on the jeepney’s seats. Telling them that although its purpose can’t solve or cover each and every problem we stomach—it is still there, standing timelessly and waiting quietly as we decide on our next destination. It will become the bearer of solutions in this frightful situation, a hero and its heroic acts that can allow us to breathe while trying to survive and embrace warm conversations that are always best paired with cold beverages on a sizzling afternoon.
Written by Rosfranceska, Insight PH
Rosfranceska, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
