ORLANDO “Orly” Mercado, one of the few journalists who made a name for himself in politics, brings his rich and varied experience in media, government, diplomacy and the academe to his new calling as a columnist for The Manila Times. His first column appears today, March 7, 2023.

AH yes, what do we do with a problem like that living relic on the streets, the iconic Filipino jeepney? It’s been ages since it evolved from the Willys Jeeps left by American GIs in the Philippines at the end of World War 2. What used to be the workhorse of the US military during the war morphed into the workhorse of the Filipino public after recycling them into a 20-plus-seater, diesel-fueled chimera of galvanized iron sheets, puffing and huffing and belching smoke proudly on the streets a la folk and pop art on wheels.

Indeed, the government’s response to the issue is, “Let us modernize it!” Sounds good, doesn’t it? After all, almost all commuters would welcome the chance to ride an electric minibus where they can see where they are going. Where female passengers are safe from creepy perverts. And where commuters won’t get to inhale suspended particulates seasoned with so many viruses and bacteria.

Today, however, the plan is in trouble. We all know the obvious: changing is always harder than not changing. Status quo is much more comfortable. In this country, public policy is one thing but implementing it is an entirely different world. I am reminded of boxer Mike Tyson’s quip that everyone has a plan until they get hit in the face. Unfortunately, not only the government is taking the hard blows.

Perhaps it’s all about transition, but more importantly, the need for a good transition strategy. Jeepney operators and drivers seem to want to postpone the inevitable. Continue kicking the can down the road until the government gets tired or stops altogether. After all, they did it when the pandemic hit in 2020. Some even supported the current president in hopes that his leadership won’t pursue this path anymore.

It has been said that all innovations produce movement. Movement produces friction, friction produces heat, and heat produces pain. The question is, is the pain evenly felt? Is the burden fairly shared by all concerned sectors? Or is just one sector given most of the heavy lifting? What does it entail to have a transition that is just for everyone?

Let’s momentarily put ourselves in the jeepney operators’ and drivers’ shoes.

The PUJ modernization program doesn’t only push for the affected sector to purchase modern jeepneys to replace old ones. They also need to let go of their autonomy. Because in order to acquire units, they will have to avail of the equity subsidy and bank loans for financing, and in order to do that, the small-time operators and drivers need to form or join a cooperative. That means surrendering individual franchises, as cooperatives are needed to pave the infrastructure, resources and harmonious relationships for fleet management to function properly.

Talking about the new units — the price tag is too steep, costing more than P2 million per imported vehicle. They are just too expensive, especially for a group of poor Filipinos who barely make enough money to support their family’s everyday needs. How can they pay for these loans while also ensuring they still have enough money left for their families? If they implement higher fares to cover both expenses, won’t that have a domino effect that will lead to an increase in prices of everything? So, after all the ruckus, the bucket will just be passed on to the public — and double whammy on the commuters who are mostly low- to middle-income part of the populace.

We should at least have a proper transition plan to take the pain off the already suffering sectors. A scientist friend of mine, retired UP Los Baños professor Dr. Ted Mendoza, recommended an approach that is more sustainable and inclusive. According to him, there should be a short-term transition plan spanning from one to 10 years, and a long-term one from 11 to 25 years. The first 10 years should “allow the overhaul or re-manufacture of older engines in order to considerably reduce emissions and pass the emission standards; encourage the local fabrication of modern jeepneys, rather than relying on foreign companies; and lastly relax the engine type prescriptions (Euro 4) for jeepneys, provided that emission standards are met.” Localized modernization comes into play in the medium to long term. This entails producing locally the vehicle parts to generate jobs for more people, avoid high importation fees, increase the value of local products, generate higher incomes for rubber growers, and provide higher revenues for local providers and makers of vehicle parts and accessories.

While we commiserate with the drivers and operators, we still have to solve problems that had not been anticipated in the past. The growth of the population, rapid and unplanned urbanization, and a tragic absence of a strategic land use plan all contribute to the need to keep up with modern times. I understand we cannot have public policy that pleases everyone. If you have a policy that tries to satisfy everyone, you may be set up for failure. However, we can’t keep kicking the can down the road, either.

Just transition, or just tiis.