AS DAWN breaks across Cebu City’s horizon, Roger Romira, 45, is already cruising down the streets of Cebu City.
With his parents, a wife and a child to support, Romira works from the crack of dawn until late at night.
“I start at 5 a.m. and usually end at 11 p.m.,” said Romira in Bisaya.
With his wife and child based in Cotabato City (because his wife was a teacher at a local school there), Romira has to send money to his wife every weekend.
But just sending them roughly P1,500 a week was not enough.
“Ang akong anak, mo-kaon na lang gud usahay toyo ug kan-on,” (My son sometimes have to make do with soy sauce and rice) lamented Romira.
Driving a 04C public utility jeepney (PUJ) everyday, Romira says that he only makes about P400 a day.
“And that depends on the time. If it is during a busy day, I make around P400, but if it’s a slow day, that’s only P200,” said Romira.
In a day, Romira can make around 8 rounds but by doing so, he’s already pushing it.
“Mahal na man gud ang krudo,” (Gasoline is very expensive now) he said.
By completing one complete round of the 04C route, Romira says that it would cost him around P120 worth of gasoline.
As the day would end, Romira says that he has spent more than P1,000 on gasoline for his rented jeepney.
“Dako gyud kaayo ang problema ang krudo,” (Gas is really a very big problem) said Romira.
Romira lamented that he was now spending more on renting the jeepney and paying for gas prices than the capital he gets from being a jeepney driver.
The money goes for the gasoline instead of becoming his earnings, said Romira.
With skyrocketing fuel prices, Romira says that he has to find ways of getting people to ride his jeepney.
“Magpa-ugat nalang gani ko,” chuckled Romira.
“Pa-ugat” is a term used among PUJ drivers when violating traffic rules in hopes of getting more passengers.
Proof of this, Romira stops his jeepney near the Social Security System (SSS) Building, JY Square and Robinson’s Mall for a full minute hoping to attract more passengers.
In all three areas, he stops near the “No Stopping” sign.
“I’ll just risk my license,” Romira said with a sigh.
Romira admitted that the practice cost him his license once early this year, but it still did not stop him from continuing what he was doing.
Though PUJ fares are now at P8, Romira said this is still not enough.
“Better raise that to P10,” he said.
Expecting to see oil prices to reach P65 to P70 anytime this year, the best solution to answer the drivers’ problems was to just put the minimum fare at P10.
“P8 is not enough as gasoline price keeps on increasing,” said Romira.
Though he has Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-issued matrix allowing him to collect the minimum P8 PUJ fare, Romira admitted that he would not return the extra one peso he receives if somebody would pay him P8.
However, he quickly added that if somebody would pay him P10 or P20, he would still use the old minimum fare of P7 until he gets his matrix.
“It’d be better if we have the matrix so we’ll feel the difference, even a peso,” said Romira.
Romira said that the operator of his jeepney is having problems trying to get a matrix since there were a lot of people at the LTFRB office. However, he hopes that the matrix would be in his hands today.
Gina Campaner, 32, boarded Romira’s jeepney yesterday near the SSS Building where Romira was parked near the “No Stopping” sign.
Campaner, a housewife, said that she would rather have the minimum fare back at P6 rather than have it at P8. Though, that’s just a dream.
“P8 is indeed hard,” said Campaner.
Being an unemployed housewife with a three-year-old son and solely depending on her husband to bring in the money, Campaner said that times were getting rough and an increase in fare was just another blow.
“Ang among kaon sa balay, twice na lang gani. Brunch ug dinner na lang,” (We only get to eat twice at home now) said Campaner.
Campaner admitted that she understood the need of increasing the PUJ fare with the escalating oil prices and cost of living, but she only hoped that salaries of workers would also increase.
“Food and gasoline prices keep on increasing, but the salaries remain the same. It’d have been okay if there’s an increase,” said Campaner.
As Campaner hopes that salaries would increase and fares would decrease, 04C driver Romira only hopes that by the end of the day, he’d finally earn more than just P400 and perhaps finally buy something for himself.
