WITH increasing modernization, a Philippine icon is in danger of losing its significance. Or is it?
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is calling for the voluntary phase-out of jeepneys that are 15 years old or older. On Monday, jeepney drivers and operators took part in the nationwide transport strike and staged a protest to highlight their unified stand on the proposed phase out of jeepneys.
The Transportation Department has earlier said that phasing out jeepneys will not only decongest traffic but also save the environment. There is also the supposed demand for convenience from commuters. When you think about it, commuting to and from an office or school actually needs convenience. An air-conditioned van with a Wifi-hotspot is more convenient than a worn-out, old jeepney on a hot summer day. A jeepney is also vulnerable to urban crimes like hold ups, snatching and stealing.
Jeepneys today are like iconic gadgets in early 90’s – while they mark the country with pride, their use is losing value for the people. Because there are more alternatives today, jeepneys may be bound to the scrap yard.
Outdated they may be but jeepneys continue to be a daily source of income for to at least 650,000 drivers who feed their families with their daily "boundary." A jeepney phase out will surely hit hard for drivers and their families.
More than that, jeepneys have already created a cultural influence on Filipinos and have already become a part of Philippine history. That is what the Philippines always lack I think. We seem to forget saving and preserving the things that have been a great part of our culture.
In the next years, will we only see jeepneys in museums and will we just tell the next generation what it felt like riding a jeepney during our time?
For now, we can only watch 650,000 drivers and their families lose their only source of income.