UP Economics Towards Consciousness

Calling all UPSE Alumni!🎓It’s time to come back home for our annual Homecoming celebration, happening in less than 3 months. 🗓️

Mark your calendars for September 28 (Saturday, 6PM) and get ready for an evening filled with reunions and all the nostalgic campus feels. 😊

Who’s ready to make some more memories with your fellow Alums? 🙌🏼

See you on September 28 at the UPSE Auditorium. 😊

The increased use and popularity of v**es require that there be apt action from concerned government agencies to regulate the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes which have been largely targeted towards Filipino youth. Moreover, with va**ng being forwarded as a "better" alternative to regular smoking, action from credible authorities are further needed to dispell such misconceptions as it may provoke the misuse and abuse of v**es.

With this, the UP Economics Towards Consciousness strongly encourages the government to act, through their legislative power, on regulating and monitoring the sale and use of e-cigarettes for the sake of a healthier and brighter tomorrow.

As we recognize the month of June as a yearly effort to acknowledge the harms of traditional smoking, let it also be a new reminder for everyone that Vapes or E-cigarettes are not healthier alternatives for the former.

**eisnotsafe

The UP Economics Towards Consciousness supports our members, Rexian Irlandez and Kristel Jane Distajo, for their respective positions in the School of Economics Student Council Elections:

Kristel Jane “Telly” R. Distajo for SESC Chairperson
Rexian “Rex” L. Irlandez for Economics Representative to the USC

With their past efforts in working for the organization, we are confident that they will exert their plans for positive social change in the studentry and UP community.

Best of luck to the candidates!

ON HIGHER EDUCATION | Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education, EDCOM 2 Year One Report, Part 2

Throughout the decades, the Philippines showed exemplary performance in higher education in terms of gross enrollment rate. Based on historical data, the Philippines led ASEAN in gross enrollment rate in tertiary education until 2016. At present, the country lags behind Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam at 34.89% in 2021.

On the nature of higher educational institutions (HEI), some 49.97% of Filipinos enrolled in tertiary education go to private schools while the other half goes to state universities and colleges and other public HEIs. Following the trend in recent years, there is a decline in student enrollment in private HEIs while an uptick can be observed among public HEIs.

However, despite this increase in enrollment and the provision of free tuition in public HEIs, equitable access is yet to be guaranteed. A 2018 paper from the University of the Philippines School of Economics showed that there is an “income advantage” for students from richer families entering UP. On the flip side, those from the poorest families have a lower probability of getting admitted. This shows that the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education may not be universal after all.

Aside from equity, the quality of instruction in HEIs may not be up to standard based on relative board exam passing rates and low faculty qualifications, among others.

To address these issues, EDCOM II outlines priority areas for higher education – equitable access and quality assurance.

See more of the EDCOM 2 Year One report at: https://edcom2.gov.ph/

UP Economics Towards Consciousness Statement on World No To***co Day

Despite being marketed as a safe alternative to “traditional” smoking, e-cigarette or v**e smoking can cause a host of health issues ranging from addiction to lung injury to death. The to***co industry, with extensive knowledge of these harmful side effects, continues to market e-cigarettes and v**e to children.

Last 2021, the Global State of To***co Harm Reduction Survey estimated 82 million v**e users worldwide, including 2.7 million Filipinos. Widespread usage among the youth is also undeniable. The 2019 Global Youth To***co Survey found that 14.1% of students aged 13 to 15 reported that they use e-cigarettes, but they are only increasing.

UP Economics Towards Consciousness believes in strong, proactive regulation of the to***co industry, especially in shifting from the marketing of e-cigarettes and va**ng to the youth. If this is left unchecked, the effects of unrestricted marketing of to***co products—through youth-oriented v**e flavors, sponsorships, and legal threats, among other tactics—are destructive and untenable.

The organization also stands by this position in its pursuit to protect Filipino youth from the misleading propaganda of the to***co industry.

Thus, we encourage the general public to avoid participating in events sponsored and initiated by v**e and to***co producers. Additionally, we strongly advise everyone to be responsible consumers and critically evaluate the information presented in the to***co industry's deceptive advertising materials. Lastly, concerned authorities must remain vigilant of the industry's strategies to exploit legal gaps in regulating them.

UP ETC is unwavering in its commitment to creating positive social change. Therefore, with a sense of urgency, we press the government to take action through its legislative and fiscal power to promote public health. During this World No To***co Day, let us take action to expose the dark side of the to***co industry to create a healthier tomorrow.

DG SA DAAN | UP For U and Me (?)

"Achieving progress within the university should not be at the expense of another."

Last Thursday, May 16, 2024, UP ETC held its second DG sa Daan. Tackling about UP spaces and commercialization, the participants made the discussion fruitful and insightful!

Next week, UP ETC will be hosting a DG sa Daan about the State of Basic Education in the Philippines, based on the EDCOM II Year One Report.

Be critical. Be assertive. Be part of a new age with UP ETC.

PH Eduk: Swak o ligwak?! 👍👎

Ang huling informal discussion group ng UP ETC ngayong ikalawang semestre ay patungkol sa Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). Ito ay gaganapin sa Mayo 30, Huwebes, mula 4:30 pm hanggang 6:30 pm sa Econ Walk. 🚶✍️

Maging estudyante, g**o, o mula publiko ka man, iniimbitahan ka naming dumayo! 🧑‍🎓🧑‍🏫🧍

Kita kits! 💙🤍🖤

ON BASIC EDUCATION | Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education, EDCOM 2 Year One Report

The Philippine public education system is often said to be in crisis. Its curriculums, pedagogies, and infrastructural flaws draw heavy criticism for being unresponsive to ground-level needs. Dramatically illustrating this crisis is the fact that 15-year-old Filipino students ranked 77th out of 81 countries in the overall results of the 2022 PISA, coming third worst in science. Even at the surface level, the urgent need for reform is clear.

While there has been a consistent increase in enrollment rates and a decrease in dropout rates over the past 10 years, the quality of education at the basic level is still a concern.

According to the World Bank, a Filipino student who begins schooling at age 4 would have received 12.9 years of education by age 18. However, in terms of the quality of the education they receive, all of those learnings could be equivalent to just 7.5 years.

This is consistent with the results from different international and national assessments like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) whose 2022 results showed that more than 3 in 4 15-year-old Filipino student-takers scored below the minimum proficiency in Math, Reading, and Science.

Overhauling public education with proactive policy is key to improving learning outcomes. The Philippines, with tens of millions currently being educated, can leverage a young, learning population towards skills acquisition and build human capital. Ultimately, the policy that addresses the plight of the youngest in society and develops them to their fullest potential can ensure healthy and sustainable growth for a national economy.

See more of the EDCOM 2 Year One report at: https://edcom2.gov.ph/

ON UP SPACES | Campus Transformation: Is UP Diliman Still a Safe Haven?

“Pagbabagong paatras,” lamented Kuya Alfred as he reflected on the current state of UP’s community with the rise of new buildings and the increased presence of motorized vehicles on campus. In this fourth and final part of OptEcon journalism on UP Spaces and Commercialization, we interview two residents within the campus to see how the threat of commercialization could impact their livelihoods.

UP Diliman prides itself on being an open campus. With residential areas interwoven between academic buildings and government agencies, having the general public be free to roam the institution is one of the defining features of the campus. However, with new commercial establishments slowly wrapping their arms around academic spaces and motorized vehicles blemishing the sidewalks, the so-called “improvements” to the new UP campus have not catered to the interests of the student body and the residents it claims to serve.

For Kuya Alfredo Olorvida and Ate Eva Olorvida, the campus used to be a safe haven for them. Described as an area of lush greenery with close contact with nature and freedom to walk around, being inside UP as a resident was a blissful experience. Furthermore, the dynamics within the people on campus remained lively and united. Despite a common culture of “walang pakialamanan” as Ate Eva puts it, religious and organizational activities gave the residents a sense of community.

Nowadays, it appears that walls upon walls have been erected in front of their very eyes.

“Ngayon, hindi na siya maganda. Mainit na kasi puro bakod. Hindi na siya open sa community,” said Kuya Alfred. He also said that several establishments such as UP Technohub replacing CitiMall and the Shopping Center were unhelpful because of their high rental rates causing the prices of commodities to increase. “Ang mga bilihin [ay] nagmamahal dahil ‘yung mga maliliit [na mga kainan at negosyo] ay nagsasara sa mga pagbabago.”

In addition, the problems relating to Metro Manila’s car-centric infrastructure outside of the campus have now seeped their way in. With more focus on cars than people, the administration has been forced to conform to the motorized vehicles passing through the campus with the construction of new parking lots and creation of vehicle-oriented policies such as the “no sticker, no entry” rule. Outside the campus walls, avenues such as Katipunan, Commonwealth, and C.P. Garcia are also prone to heavy traffic at rush hour intervals. Unfortunately, responses continue to be insufficient because the residents of the campus’s outer core are starting to feel the heat of the exhausts.

Ate Eva noted, “Dumadami ang kotse na nakaparada dito, hindi lamang dito sa Area 2 maski na rin sa barangay, [kung saan may nagpahayag na] hindi na raw sila makaraan at hindi pala mga residente doon [ang mga nakaparada], kundi mga nagtatrabaho sa barangay na tiga-ibang lugar naman.”

This problem is echoed by Kuya Alfred, who also comments from the perspective of the commuters and jeepney drivers on campus.

“Marami talaga ang sasakyan ngayon. Mas lumobo nga ngayon… Ang mga tao ay wala ng madaanan sa kalsada. Bahala na sila kung saan sumulpot. [Samantalang sa mga] jeep naman, mas kumukaunti na sila kasi kulang na kinikita ng drayber.”

With how the current problems of car-centric infrastructure and commercialization are directly connected to the overall national priorities of the government, forced conformity seems to be accepted as the norm on campus. However, as stated by Kuya Alfred, “Dapat ang mga organisasyon [para] sa mga estudyante, o yung student regent. Dapat sa mga estudyante, ipaabot ang mga [perspective] ng mga empleyado. Dapat pataas.” All the noise from construction and revving engines should never drown out the voices of the residents, despite the commercial establishments and private vehicles blemish the beloved institution, their voices continue to echo around the campus.

ON UP SPACES | Delayed Wages, Unwavering Service: Delayed Salaries of UP’s Security Guards

“Nagpapasahod pero laging delay. Minsan, ‘yung partial pa.” lamented Kuya Ryan as he echoed the long-standing problem of delayed issuance of salaries faced by the security guards on campus. In this third part of journalism on UP Spaces and Commercialization, we interview security guards on campus to see how their role in maintaining safe spaces impacts the UP community.

Serving as a security guard for UP Diliman since 2016, Kuya Ryan prides himself in keeping the smart and skilled students of UP safe. In return, the students and staff have also given him ample support for his service through occasional free lunches and financial aid. However, with UP Diliman's safe spaces situated within an open campus, some dangerous occurrences are bound to happen with shady outsiders entering and leaving the campus. Among them include reported incidents of attempted theft, harassment, and assault.

Issues of enforcing safety on campus are also further compounded by reports of either partially or completely delayed salaries by the agencies of the security guards. Due to a combination of bank issues, late collection from agency clients, and improper compliance with the billing process, wages for the security guards continue to get put on the back burner, with their entire livelihoods sacrificed in the process. Kuya Ryan himself has experienced a three-month delay in his salary under his former agency, Femjeg Security Agency. “Noong una, pinasok na kami dito ng Femjeg [Security Agency]. Tatlong buwan kami na hindi pinasahod… Wala silang budget sig**o.”

Under his new agency, Star Special Corporate Security Agency Management Inc. (SSCMI), however, the situation did not improve. Short delays still occur, with some only being partially given within two weeks. Kuya Ryan reports that this severely affects how they budget their money for their children’s academic necessities, basic needs, and personal expenses.

“Kunwari, ngayon bumibigay sila ng dalawang libo. Sunod na [iilang araw] naman, bibigay sila ng tatlong libo… Sa loob ng fifteen days ‘yon. Hinahati-hati nila.” he stated. Thankfully, students and staff continue to provide financial assistance through fundraising and fight for the punctual issuance of their salaries.

The sentries of the campus continue to serve as the university’s guardians in an institution of great minds across generations. With dubious personalities loitering around, all it takes is the 24/7 workforce of security guards in the area to sway them away. As many voices as there are guards in every building on campus, time has always proven that the student body and staff will stand by their side. The administration must monitor the proper communication lines between the security agencies and their budgeting departments, ensuring that the daily routines of individuals and families are not disrupted by salary matters.

ON UP SPACES | Sizzy’s Struggle: Area 2 Under Threat of Commercialization

“Paano kami maghahanapbuhay?” said Elma Perdigon as she expressed her concerns regarding the future state of Area 2 given the construction of the nearby DiliMall and other threats to academic and social spaces on campus. In this second part of journalism on UP Spaces and Commercialization, we interview vendors from Area 2 to see how the threat of commercialization matters to them.

Working as a food attendant for 12 years, Ms. Perdigon has devoted most of her life to Sizzy’s, one of the many food spots in Area 2 under threat of closure because of the impending opening of the newly constructed DiliMall to the general public. Signaling the administration’s tighter embrace of commercialization, the steep competition, high rent rates, and closure threats it brings put livelihoods on the line for the vendors on campus.

For her, Sizzy’s has not only served affordable food for students on campus but also bonded with some of the customers coming into their own as college students. Aside from the occasional rude customer here and there, the environment of Area 2 has always been a peaceful and loving community filled with food vendors, boarding students, residents, and children looking for affordable cravings in the area.

However, all Area 2 vendors who had rented lots in the area were told around August last year that their businesses would be closed down. Moreover, people residing in areas like Sizzy’s were informed that they could stay with several restrictions.

“Ang pagbibigyan na lang dito sa Area 2 [ay] ‘yung mga mismong may-ari talaga ng bahay, tapos sila rin ‘yung nagnenegosyo. Hanggang doon lang. Hindi na sila pwedeng magpa-commercialize or magpa-rent dito.”

Threats to the business have also started becoming increasingly rampant, among which were the unannounced clearing operations held last April 23 at around noon.

“Warning na lang sana ‘yung nakuha nila…” cited Ms. Perdigon as she lamented the recent event. While Sizzy’s remained unscathed with only instructions to scale back a few of their potted plants, other objects deemed as "road obstructions" within other establishments in the area were confiscated by enforcers, some even destroyed in the process.

“Wala din alam yung iba. Syempre ibang nagrerent di pa naman nila alam kung bago pa lang sila kung ano yung patakaran.” she added.

No relocation plans have been made by the business in the event that they are ordered to shut down. Nonetheless, she remains steadfast that the students will fight for Area 2 and all its constituents. “Sabi din kasi ng mga estudyante sa amin na ilalaban din naman nila ito kasi malaking bagay para sa kanila ‘yung area na ito.”

Currently, DiliMall is slated to open its 1st floor around August, and the livelihood of the vendors residing near the area remain in balance. Area 2 continues to bustle with hungry students, and the community continues to make memories between them. The administration must consider a more multisectoral approach in making decisions regarding campus infrastructure, ensuring that students and residents on the campus do not become victims of the money-making demands of commercial establishments.

DG SA DAAN | Charter Chatter: Making Sense of the Implications of Charter Change

Last May 8, 2024, in the first ever “DG sa Daan”, a student-led Discussion Group, students from different fields gathered at the Econ Walk to ask questions and converse about Charter Change as the bid to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution persists.

Tomorrow, UP ETC will be hosting another DG sa Daan on the available spaces within the university, with a focus on commercialization. Tara, pag-usapan na natin yan! 🗣💚

We hope to see you at the UP School of Economics, Econ Walk from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM!

Be critical. Be assertive. Be part of a new age with UP ETC.

ON UP SPACES | A Call for Restoration of Org Tambayans

“Give Vinzons back to UP students,” Hamdi Tuan exclaimed as he expressed his opinion on the current status of the student spaces in UP Diliman. In this series of OptEcon journalism, we interview students, dormers, and vendors to deliver insights on what matters to people inside the campus.

For institutions to promote new profit inflow, they need to make decisions, and UP is no exception. However, the cost of such ventures comes with a hefty price: student spaces.

UP student spaces have been a long-winded topic within the community. The lack thereof has been a concern to most students and organizations, and they often face the obstacle of finding alternatives to establish their “tambayans.” Some organizations retain their respective student spaces, but some are unfortunately left on the horizon. To understand student perspectives, we decided to interview our fellow students from the Department of Computer Science under the College of Engineering. One of them is Hamdi Tuan, and this is how they see it:

Student spaces have always been important. That is where brilliant minds meet, after all. Before entering the University, Mr. Tuan had always been interested in how UP organizations hold their traditions in student spaces. These spaces form a melting pot of principles, ideas, and innovations that form the identity of students in their respective organizations. This expectation did not betray him as he entered college.

While sharing about the decrease of student spaces on campus, he said that the beneficial effects of public spaces can’t be really quantified, but there are positive externalities that would compound over the years. The benefit that people can have from these places are the opportunities that will lead to something in their lives in the future. Lamenting the decrease of student spaces on campus, he expressed, “It’s very sad, there’s gonna be a qualitative effect sa mga relationship-building and opportunities to share knowledge.” ctions and opportunities among members, and the lack of tambayans deprives them of that experience. “Gagraduate naman tayo eh, and matitira sa kanila ay ang mga experiences that they have, and if they don’t afford that space, it’s not a conducive environment for building those networks in the minimum 4 years na nandito sila campus.”

Looking back on the Vinzons Hall’s bureaucratic nature of applying for spaces, Mr. Tuan thought that the building improved since it was modernized, but the quality of life for the organizations did not. “A university is there [where] students learn and build relationships, tapos from the word ‘university,’ it connotes a diverse place of people from different backgrounds.” Removing spaces and implementing a reservation process does not help students and their organizations in forming meaningful relationships, which is one of the things that UP is strong about. “A lot of those [alumni] networks and relationships were formed. If you deprive them of these spaces, you deprive the future of those relationships that make the University strong.”

The voices of students like Mr. Tuan's echo through the spaces of UP Diliman, advocating for the restoration of student spaces like Vinzons Hall. This interview underscores the importance of such spaces in making the most of our UP experience. As decisions about campus infrastructure go on, the administration must rethink its priorities for the preservation of these interactive hubs, ensuring that future generations of UP students can continue to benefit from the relationships forged across its spaces.

🌻✊ UP naming mahal, mas lalong nagmamahal?! 🤑💵

Tara na't makisali sa susunod na informal discussion group ng UP ETC sa Econ Walk sa darating na May 16, Thursday, 4:30 pm hanggang 6:30 pm. 🌄🚶💬

Ito ay bukas para sa mga mag-aaral, mga g**o, at sa publiko.

See you there!
🖤💙🤍

Join us for a discussion about Charter Change in the Philippines! 🗣️

For UP ETC's first informal discussion group this semester, let's dive into the political and economic implications of removing foreign restrictions in the Philippines. Happening along Econ Walk in the UP School of Economics, the informal discussion is open to all students, professors, staff, and the public!

Mark your calendars for May 8, Wednesday, at 4:30 PM. Bring your opinions, think of questions, and let's share our views about the issue.

ON CHARTER CHANGE | How to change a constitution by hand-waving (Or, the unbearable lightness of evidence in support of lifting foreign ownership restrictions)

The paper found that statutory foreign equity restrictions do not significantly explain the distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI) across the ASEAN region, according to available data.

The paper also cautions against too much enthusiasm for FDI in general, as in developing countries, the relationship between FDI and economic growth remains indefinite. The paper stresses the greater importance of quality and appropriateness of FDI over sheer volume.

The effects of charter change (cha-cha) widening FDI entry will spill over across several industries, affecting millions of workers, businesses, and nearly every aspect of the workplace. Livelihoods and a national economy are at stake, and haphazard ex*****on after passage may flatten an emerging business landscape.

Pursuing developmental strategies predicated on increasing FDI inflow must go beyond overhauling our constitution’s economic provisions. The relevant literature suggests that a larger emphasis must be placed on improving the country’s infrastructure, quality of governance, investment climate, and regulatory environment. In fact, it would appear that strong economic growth is the precondition for increased FDI, and not the other way around.

Read more: https://econ.upd.edu.ph/dp/index.php/dp/article/view/1552?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1i0xtMU5Lx3xJzF4N39ODnUGqduVxb9-9AVt0T1DGb1yiW94kMbaoBXos_aem_AT3BRWhspuJXvPitid0fCyi3yCpp0MboBkm8T4nkt2VYwkFoLtKKD8uIvUWzPf06yOd7sF4Qp-87vNZotL-1wWvA

ON THE PUVMP | Doing more harm than good

The term “modernization” spells blind optimism for those who think that government policies supporting this will lead to better outcomes. In the Philippines, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) will displace thousands of jeepney drivers as the government will leave them with greater financial burden with this unjust and uneconomical policy.

The PUVMP was launched last 2017 by the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines issued by the Department of Transportation. This aimed to make public transportation “safer, more efficient, reliable, convenient, affordable, climate-friendly, and environmentally sustainable.” The purchase of the modern jeepneys as part of the program, however, was met with unfavorable reactions from the transport groups of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and MANIBELA. The jeepney drivers and operators protested that the purchase and maintenance of the modern jeepneys is too expensive and will hurt their wages because of the surge of debt they will bear

The transport groups PISTON and Manibela held a two-day strike last April 15 to 16 against the nearing deadline of the ordered franchise consolidation on April 30. The transport strike will continue this April 29 to May 1. In a forum held by Kamuning Bakery Cafe and reported by Rappler, PISTON Deputy Secretary-General Ruben Baylon said, “Ang gusto nating modernization [ay] progresibo, makabayan, tunay na abot-kaya na pamasahe ng mga mamamayan.”

When the government did not extend the deadline of the consolidation period for the transport groups, they insisted that this would ensure that “everyone” would benefit from the modernized public transport system. Unsympathetically, President Marcos Jr. said that they cannot let the “minority” cause further delays, when in fact if the modernization were to continue, the jeepney drivers would face the tremendous financial burden that would displace them from their jobs. “They would not admit that over 140,000 drivers and 60,000 operators will lose their livelihood because of [their insistence on implementing] the consolidation,” PISTON said.

One could say that this policy is anti-people because the Php 2.4 million to Php 2.6 million cost range of each modern jeepney will be a big bust to their incomes and livelihoods. According to PISTON and Manibela, the jeepney driver’s gross income per day ranges from Php 2,500 to Php 3,000, but their estimated daily net income is Php 500. Moreover, due to competition with the Libreng Sakay program, cooperatives can’t pay their monthly installments anymore due to the inequitable nature of the program, when it “benefit[s] only operators or drivers that are better off than those who depend on day-to-day operations for income—drivers severely hit by the rising fuel prices.”

Should the phaseout happen, the transport groups will be forced to pay for the modern jeepneys and the burden of debt will fall heavily on them. As a response to this dilemma, the government will subsidize only from Php 160,000 to Php 360,000 for each modern jeepney, yet the latter price will still leave the drivers and operators with millions in debt and will push them into poverty!

According to a policy brief by the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, “Subsidies offered to the jeepney drivers and operators start at P80,000 and later (increase) to P160,000.” Only covering a small percentage of the total cost, obtaining the loan also requires that “jeepney drivers and operators must first surrender their individual franchise or provisional authority and consolidate them into a single franchise by registering with the Cooperative Development Authority and getting accreditation from the OTC to be registered with the LTFRB.”

With the additional expense of Php 300,000 for franchise consolidation fees, the cooperatives will also face additional costs for constructing a garage for maintenance and refueling without support from the government. The paper added, “For a modern jeepney that is valued at P2.5 million, a daily income of P6,899 is necessary to offset the cost of modern jeepneys. In order to cover the acquisition costs, fares may reach as high as P34 for a modern jeepney with 200 passengers a day.” To jump the gun, this will only lead to higher commuting fares and poor service, which is also observed with the privatization of the country’s train system.

The cost of a traditional jeepney is estimated to be between Php 200,000 and Php 600,000. An economical and practical option will be that the cost of rehabilitating the traditional ones will only cost Php 900,000. However, this issue goes beyond simply considering the financial costs and benefits.

Faced with a trade-off between comfortable jeepneys and the huge costs of maintaining them, this shows that the PUVMP is not only ill-timed but also socially inefficient. Furthermore, a De La Salle University paper about the modernization program concluded that it was given the go with “unrealistic timelines and objectives to fulfill.” Not only will this impose a high cost per unit of modern jeepneys, but it will also raise jeepney fares in the long run, which is every commuter’s nightmare.

Living in a time when the country is experiencing rising heat indices that endanger commuters and worsen the public transportation crisis, the government has to rethink the PUVMP and structure it in a plan that can uplift operator-run cooperatives and ensure its reliability for commuters. Taking the path of jeepney rehabilitation ensures that their livelihoods are safe while gaining the opportunity to ride better quality jeepneys than before. The government must not spend more but spend smartly in implementing their policies.

In the spirit of Labor Day, modernization and progress can be achieved without sacrificing thousands of livelihoods. Otherwise, the roaring engines of the modern jeepneys roaming down the highways will only drown out the cries for help of the drivers whose livelihoods are on the line, and the program will do more harm than good.