THE government yesterday rolled out its net service contracting program for public utility jeepneys (PUJs), reportedly covering around 36,000 drivers for two weeks, intended as temporary relief for both the transport sector and commuters amid the ongoing energy crisis.
From the outset, the rollout has confirmed the serious concerns we have consistently raised. We warned that without sufficient coverage, preparation, and clarity, the program risks becoming a missed opportunity rather than meaningful intervention. The program’s limited scope, short duration, and inadequate funding already weaken its impact. These structural limits are compounded by serious implementation failures that have surfaced immediately on day one.
In several areas in Metro Manila, drivers whose routes are supposedly covered still do not know when, or if, implementation will begin. Many are locked out by a confusing and inaccessible online registration system marked by unclear instructions, lack of confirmation, and route listings grouped per operator or cooperative in ways that are difficult to navigate. Even shortlisted drivers are being excluded. Similar issues are unfolding outside Metro Manila, including in Cebu, where onboarding has stalled due to pending budget releases, reflecting a rushed rollout marked by poor preparation, delayed guidelines, and insufficient consultation.
At its current scale, the program is fundamentally insufficient, with as much as 75 percent of routes still unsupported, leaving the majority of transport workers and commuters without meaningful relief.
We believe that PUJ service contracting is a policy with immense promise. But without urgent and decisive course correction, it risks failing to deliver and squandering a critical opportunity for long-overdue transport reform.
We demand that the government urgently fix these rollout failures, simplify access and registration, ensure all identified beneficiaries are reached, and provide a substantial supplementary budget to expand and sustain the program for the duration of the crisis and beyond.
The people deserve more than a token response; it requires a serious commitment from the government to make service contracting the new normal, one that guarantees PUJ drivers a stable livelihood and ensures commuters have reliable, accessible public transport. As transport workers, advocates, and commuters, we speak for a sector on the brink and a public left with unreliable service. The response must match the scale, urgency, and gravity of their needs.
- National Confederation of Trade Unions and Akbayan Party
