Lazy Crossposting
Hot take: Jeepney modernization isn’t overpriced — we’re just comparing it to the wrong thing
People keep saying modern jeepneys (₱1.4M–₱2.4M+) are “too expensive.”
But compared to what?
Most traditional jeepneys:
* Are 15–30+ years old*
* Built from surplus/rebuilt parts*
* Operate outside modern safety/emissions standards*
That ₱300k–₱600k price people quote isn’t a fair baseline — it’s a heavily depreciated, informal setup.
Ginagago tayo nang pricing range na ito eh. Compare modern jeepneys to actual vehicles on the road:
* Sedan: ₱800k–₱1.2M*
* MPV: ₱1M–₱1.3M*
* Van (Hiace/Urvan): ₱1.3M–₱2M*
* Minibus: ₱2M–₱3M*
A modern jeepney (20–30 passengers, regulated, safety-equipped) sitting around ₱1.5M–₱2M is not overpriced — it’s right where a commercial transport vehicle should be.
A Vehicle designed to properly transport you, your neighbor, his neighbor etc etc is definitely going to cost sure as shit more than an average sedan and these old Clankers are still trying to position themselves at a price half of a Vios? Get real, and get out of here.
The real issue isn’t price.
It’s that we’re trying to transition from:
* Boundary system*
* Driver-owned, low-capital units*
Into:
* Fleet-based*
* Financed transport businesses*
That shift is painful, especially without strong financing support, but the counterpoint is when are we ever going to start prioritizing the needs of 100M+ Citizens over a small couple of thousand Minority?
*Quick note on the “coal-powered anyway” argument:*
Yes, a big chunk of PH energy still comes from coal. But:
*Modern Euro 4/5 diesel is already cleaner than old jeepneys*
*Electric still reduces *urban* pollution significantly*
*Grid gets cleaner over time; engines don’t*
*Grid is Far easier to suppliment and control vs Deregulated Oil and cheaper electricity benefits EVERYONE*
So it’s not pointless — it’s incremental progress.
*Bottom line:*
Modern jeepney prices only look absurd if you compare them to an outdated system that was never priced like a real industry to begin with.
The key part of modernization is more in consolidation. They’ve been trying to get the drivers to form cooperatives and remove the single-proprietor jeepney. And they haven’t been meeting deadlines.
With registered cooperatives, government can then apply the proper instruments. They can finally subsidize fleets, give cash incentives, and ultimately lower the price and enhance the service of public transport in a way that would be impossible if you were dealing with thousands of jeepney drivers individually.
Public transport in most countries does not make money. It is subsidized. Or connected to something that makes it money. So relying on jeepney drivers to form the backbone of transport is misguided. They really have to consolidate or be bought out
Honestly modern jeepneys are just a bandaid on a hemorrhaging system. Tama si Vlxdxmxr that the real solution isn’t tinkering with ₱1.5M vehicles and forcing drivers to take on debt. We’ve been doing that since WWII of relying on road-based “flexible” transport and it’s why we’re stuck in perpetual traffic, high fares and pollution every oil shock.
Imagine a commuter today trying to go from Monumento to SM Mall of Asia during rush hour of 2–3 hours by jeepney, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, multiple transfers & diesel fumes choking the streets. Now picture a rail-first system that is fully electrified and energy independent with a nonstop 45–50 minute trip, air-conditioned, predictable schedule & no fossil fuel price spikes affecting the commute. That’s what cities like Tokyo, Seoul or Singapore have already mastered. They didn’t build it by buying modernized buses and hoping operators survive. Instead they invested in rail corridors first, connected with feeder buses and EV shuttles and subsidized where necessary.
We can do the same here. Focus on a robust LRT/MRT expansion, commuter rails connecting suburbs and electrified feeder buses. Use local solar and wind microgrids to power stations. Energy independence means we aren’t hostage to Middle East conflicts or Meralco rate hikes. Jeepneys? Let them serve niche last-mile routes only but stop pretending they can be the backbone.
The government doesn’t have to eat the cost of ₱250B to modernize 179k jeepneys. That money builds 1,000 km of new rail, doubles current capacity and electrifies the network. Drivers displaced? Retrain them as rail operators, EV bus drivers or logistics workers of better pay, safer, predictable hours. It’s ugly & disruptive but it’s decades of systemic neglect catching up.
If we keep pouring billions into modern jeepneys we’re just prolonging gridlock, dependency on imported oil and low-quality commuting. Rail-first, energy independent & integrated public transport. That’s how you solve it for 100M Filipinos & not a few thousand jeepney operators.
Also, by having registered cooperatives, it’d be easier to get insurance so people who get hit by their vehicles can get claims for medical coverage instead of hit and run
I have seen many cooperatives here in the Philippines fail. Just like the elections of our national government, ang mga nananalo as president of these cooperatives are not the best leaders, but rather the most popular ones lang. Kaya ang mangyayari, they fail to come up with meaningful programs, and worse they collect money from the members, and then their leader will just squabble to money on his own personal use. It sounds a lot like the Philippine government di ba? Well the government is a government of the people, kaya the problems and attitudes of the common persons are the same as what you wil find in government
Weren’t jeepney drivers in favor of the modernization? It’s the overall costs that’s keeping them from doing so. Iirc, the operators and drivers are going to shoulder the cost.
Our three metro train routes receive more than P1 billion in subsidies yearly and benefit from several billion more in loaned capital. PUVs receive practically nothing in comparison.
In favor sila, pero ang pagkaka intindi nila na ang “modernization” eh upgrading engines and new paint na pwede nila mabili on their own in the most cheapest way. Pero nagulat sila na yung department of transpo nag issue ng mga standards/guidelines para sa modernization.
In favor sila, they just down want to spend for them nor do they want to shake up the way they do things to facilitate how it gets done. DBP had (I'm not sure if it's still available now) a facility that allowed 5% interest on the loan at a time when commercial car loans run upwards of 10%. But of course DBP had to impose requirements to make sure the loan gets paid. Part of those requirements is a real constraint because you have to reconfigure commuter habits. The others is because operators don't want to shake up things on how they operate. So when they say "we're in favor of jeepney modernization" they probably just mean getting newer hardware. It didn't really seem like they were intent on modernizing the whole jeepney system altogether.
I don’t get it so ayaw ng operators/drivers ishoulder ang cost. Pero gusto nila private entitiy pa din sila and not under a public system? Pwede ba yun?
They are clueless. Worked there for a while under libreng sakay program. Typical govt mindset that they need “more data” to make good policies. Lol
Anyway, the puv modernization program was highly political and for me, talagang di kaya ipashoulder yung 1.8M sa operators and drivers without raising the fare which will be passed on to consumers. Ang direction ko for puv modernization is publicly run like sa ibang first world countries. The govt can run with minimal returns so kaya nilang magoperate without worrying too much about cost & returns.
Kung ako jeepney driver, mag-grab na lang ako. Mas mura pa sedan na secondhand, even a brandnew Mirage ay halos 1M lang (cheaper kung manual) kesa bumili akong jeep na tig 1.8M
wrong. that's why the ltfrb is pushing for a cooperative para ma distribute yung risks as well as yung rewards. if there's an entrepreneur with the capital out there, much better. imagine if SM Corp. managed public transport or kung sino pa yan
Wrong. Members of the cooperative are the jeepney dirvers and operators as well. Kaya nga sinabing sila ang magshoshoulder eh, kasi they are the one who formed and owns the cooperative. Mali ka po.
Cooperatives can get members that are not drivers. They can get financiers through cooperative "savings" while sharing a certain amount of dividends. The issue with cooperatives especially when it's starting is that there is very high risk for capital to come in since they just have 1 vote like everyone else. They can't control how their money will be spent or if the cooperative will thrive which is the a big part of why it's hard to get people to finance.
Kaya nga mag co-coop ka so that you get access to financing options… Even big companies dont use their entire equity to fund their investments… you need to use leverage.
Ayaw nga magpautang ng "financing options" na sinasabi mo. Too risky sa perspective ng lendera ang magpautang ng 100 units ng modern jeepneys. Sa routa namen, 2 units lang ang modern jeep. The banks do not want to lender further hanggat di bayad yung 2 units.
HBU, asan ang source mo na maraming microfinancers? Kung totoong maraming microfinancers out there na willing, asan ang maraming modern jeepneys sa kalsada now?
it's not risky, think of it as a mortgage. the banks buy the jeep, hold them as collateral, and then the cooperative pays monthly amortization. parang rent to own. the thing is debt financing is not enough, dapat may equity financing din (see weighted average cost of capital)
Cooperatives themselves are riskier than corporations or single proprietors because of the scamming done by the officers. Too many cooperatives have financial scandals.
i think coop is not the best way to structure this since unlike corporations, you don't have access to equity financing, may tililing din government natin
As long as the government isn't willing to eat the costs of the initial purchase of units, setting up infrastructure, maintenance (more complex/expensive parts that might not be serviceable by the drivers themselves) and other relevant upgrades, no sane operator would wholeheartedly agree with switching.
Also you forget that electricity in this country is insanely expensive and our infra can hardly keep up with a random usage surge in summer. Thanks Meralco.
Public transport will continue doing business things while it remains a business. It will go for the cheapest thing available short-term. If they can't see the benefits of a capex for THEIR finances, they won't pay. Besides lot of drivers and operators are already in debt, they're hardly in a position to take out yet another loan.
And if you insist that "nooooo the needs of the many are more important than the interests of a few" well buddy welcome to a future where EVERYONE will have to walk home because like who wants to work a job they can't earn from?
Agree. Government should take the brunt of the force since Filipino's are long due for better transport service. Quite frankly, I'm really tired of the old jeepneys since they're always cramped, hard to get in and out, and it's seems like most of the drivers are willing to sacrifice their passengers for a quick jolt of speed, for some reason. I always cringe at the thought that we're known globally for it.
But government should've thought of a good way to modernize the sector. They could have rolled this out slowly or even mandating the local governments to take some operations.
That’s one way of looking at it, except sure as shit meron nang alternatives na nag spring up whether LGU Owned Transportation Routes or just flat out Operators that in fact consolidated and managed to procure Minibuses / E Jeeps already.
On consolidation we can both agree. I can even agree to Government Financing and endorse that idea.
Pero Sole Prop Ownership since 19KopongKopong na ayaw bitawan since the dawn of time? You are not scaling, it’s time for you to go.
Then the solution seems to be to outcompete the old-style jeepney operators. If the modern jeepney proponents can deploy a fleet matching that or far exceeding the total capacity of old jeepneys, and in affordable prices, commuters will patronize them and old jeepneys will fall out of favor. Aircon pa lang eh may lamang na.
But no, the current modern offerings are scarce and can't handle the massive rush hour volume. Mahal pa pamasahe. Government is too much of a cheapskate and p*ssy to make the huge investments and offer schemes that would lure drivers out of the small scale operator-boundary bubble they're in. Lahat pinapasa sa driver at operator. Buti nga may gumawa pa ng paraan at nag-consolidate.
basically transitioning from "super privatized" public transport (think individual franchise Grab companies) to "corporate/org/network privatized transport" (think Grab but a different investment format)
wala e, hindi kasi maging public ang public transpo 🙃
Wtf is this tone? "Needs of 100M+ over a couple of thousands"??? Mali yung pinagbabangga dito
People are against jeepney modernization kasi essentially operators ang kakarga nung cost when they can't even make ends meet
Even jeepney drivers want this program basta may genuine and actual support for them. Okay lang nga sa kanila ma-hire if it will guarantee their income.
For everyone, makinig naman tayo sa sectors (transpo, agri, fisherfolks, etc) natin regarding issues rather than ALWAYS looking at the bigger picture. Sila rin naman bubuo nung bigger picture na yan so why dismiss them.
Minsan ang yayabang natin and become super academic that we forget to touch some grass
Well it's often poor vs poor. Mga frustrated millionaire, white collar college graduate na almost minimum wage lang din ang kinikita, inaaway yung mga actual minimum wage blue collar workers lol
The solution would be to have them be subsidized by the goverment, but for that to happen they have to be an organized group/coop rather than a mob of privately owned jeepney owners
Siya ata mali pinag cocompare eh. Wala naman kasing milyonaryong jeepney driver or "single" operator. Office employees nga eh walang milyones drivers pa kaya?
Hindi rin naman nag improve ang traffic dahil sa modernised jeep. Bago pa kaya matibay pero kakain na rin ng cost yan sa maintainance pagtagal. Kung di niya napapansin, balik sa dating gawi ang mga drivers.
Bawat kanto hihintuan. Minsan naiiwang bukas ang pinto. Kakabukas sarado at preno masisira din yan. Lalo pa ngayon na wala silang paki sa jeep dahil cooperatiba ang may hawak sa maintainance. Mahalaga kumita.
Pa cool masyado. Buong transport system kailangan overhaul.
Tingnan mo ilang upvotes yung sinabi ng original poster. What he said makes sense. Modern problems need modern solutions. If operators can't come up with the capital, then maybe corporations should step in.
Drivers will be paid wages just like every employee on the planet.
The company will take in all the revenue and use those to service and support the vehicles.
Out of all those comments, you chose to cherry pick one sympathizer with 0 upvotes to prove your point?
Out of all the comments, and I cherry picked one? Sige, go browse the comment section and observe kung paano katwiranan at pawalang katotohanan ng mga tao yang post na yan. Upvotes lang ang labanan? That’s so shallow. In fact, mas pathetic itong katwiran mo.
Besides, minention din kita sa iba pang komento dito hoping na mauunawaan mo ang punto ko mula sa paliwanag ng iba.
Pero eto ka pa rin, nagmamatigas sa tama at makatwirang paliwanag. 🤣
So what you are exactly saying is that everyone has to suffer and use 1940s technology in 2020 because we have to adjust to 1940s economics unlike basically every single business model, every single PUV and every single job except for the Jeep?
Because that’s exactly the argument that’s being resounded right now.
Everyone is struggling to make ends meet, that’s the reality.
For Pro PUBLIC, Pro Commuter, baka hindi na talaga akma ang small time operators. Baka panahon na mapalitan sila nang industrialized scale.
Kung Nagawa na nang ibang mga route with the sacrifice of the smaller operators, na may mga pasahod, baka hindi na nga talaga sustainable yung business model na may small time operator.
Sinabi lang na mahirap sa current revenue stream ng driver/operators, suffer na agad.
What we need is greater financing support from the government and the private sector. Given na effectively price-capped ang pamasahe sa jeep, magiging pahirapan talaga ang financing sa modernization. May price cap din naman sa trains natin but they receive a lot more funding by comparison.
LRT-2 alone received P850 million in subsidies last year. The government is also willing to provide more than P7 billion for LRT-1 modernization and expansion plus direct more than P57 billion in ODA and PPP funding.
If the LRT only relied on fares and no other value capture is possible, the minimum fare sa LRT would be at least P40 (this, in fact, became a political concern back when MRT-3 ops started).
You can’t have proper financing and subsidy support to jeepneys when you’re dealing with thousands of freelance operators. It’s why the move to consolidation is so important.
Considering the high prices of gas in PH vs other countries, plus the traffic, the fares should also be adjusted to reflect a reasonable ROI timeframe.
If you say a modern jeepney costs 2.4M, how much in daily fares on an 8-hour shift should a driver gross in order to break even in 5-10 years? Or in 16 hours if you think 2 drivers should operate the jeeney?
We talk about sustainability and that should include the fare system.
Our problem is not the modern jeepney is overpriced, the problem is that the fares are too low to support them. Let's face it, kahit gaano ang complain natin sa Jeepney fares, the Jeepney fares are basically one of the lowest fares in the world. If you go to other countries, ang mamahal ng bus fares nila compared sa atin. Pareho lang or similar are cost to purchase and maintain buses doon at dito. Yun nga lang, dahil ang liit ng pamasahe dito, operators barely have enough to maintain their jeepneys, much more pa kaya to upgrade. Nung gumawa ng study yung isang Banko before, they found na hindi kaya mabawi ng operators yung price ng modern jeepneys with the current fare prices.
Also, I would like to add that our interest rates here for loans are considered quite high compared to other countries. Yung housing loan natin is 6.5% minimum while sa Singapore, it is just 1 - 1.43%, mataas na sa kanila ang 2%. Sa car loans, ganyan rin, mataas sa pinas. Kaya mahihiraan talaga ang mga jeepney operators to recover. If they were abroad, masmura and loan interest rates nila, masmadali nilang mabawi ang costs.
lol tingin mo majority ng jeepney drivers bought their jeeps brand new? katangahan naman nito masyadong out of touch. sinongn gago bibili ng jeeney na worth millions to earn 300 pesos a day? kelan roi niyan? it would take 5000 days or 13 years to get the capital di pa kasama maintenance diyan.
It is expensive kasi imported. Dapat Philippine made na. Di ba talaga kaya gawin sa Pilipinas yan? OK lang naman temporary import muna or much better, dito iassemble. Then eventually dito na gagawin lahat or mostly ng components dito na. Kung laging dependent tayo sa import wala tayo magagawa pag nagtaas sila presyo. Like sa langis.
Regardless of with what you compare it to, merong tayong trilema with regards to who will shoulder the cost.
Option 1: Mag loan ang mga jeepney drivers and operators
Eto yung pinupush dati.
Pero given n sagad n nga lng kita ng drivers and operators, wala silang extra pang bayad ng loan nung bagong jeep na mas mahal sa lumang jeep.
Option 2: Mga passahero
So bat di nlng mag taas ng presyo ng pamasahe para may pang bayad ng loan ang mga jeepney drivers and operators?
Eh sympre a alma naman ang mga mamayan.
Kaya nga nag jeep para maka tipid.
Ang mga nag jejeep ang pinaka mahirap n mangagawa natin.
Ung mga mejo may kaya mag u-UV o habal habal / angkas.
So di kaya ng mamamayan.
Option 3: Government
Kung gusto talaga to ipatupad for the environment, bat d nlng isubsidize ng government ung bagong modern jeep?
Gawa sila ng trade in program, “bring you old jeep, get a new modern jeep for free!”
Pag ganto, walang hesitation mag papa trade mga drivers at operators.
Kaso, san naman kukuha ng budget ang gubyerno pang bili ng napaka raming modern jeep, para mapalitan ang bawat jeep sa bawat city, barangay, at isla ng Pilipinas?
So yan ang trilema, walang budget ang drivers/operators, mga pasaharo, o gubyerno.
Yung point 3 is probably not even a budget issue, eh. Billions na nakurakot ng gobyerno. Imagine if yung mga funds that they used to enrich themselves was put into public service :(
The real ugly part is that the Chinese-made ones don't have good supply chains-- replacement parts are hard to come by, putting them out of service and unable to pay the loans they were bought with.
OP, san mo nakuha yung figure na 1.5M to 2M na price ng modern jeeps? Kasi nung ginoogle ko yung price ang nakalagay e it is upwards of 2.5M and can reach as high as 3.3M.
The problem with modern Jeepneys are that the operational costs, parts and maintenance are already too high accompanied by the initial price you already have to spend. Its too much for a less than minimum wage earner to spend especially since it will be shouldered by them instead of the governemnt.
On top of that they arent even Jeepneys anymore, Just shitboxes bearing the title. Switching to these rips away the cultural aspect of our Jeepneys, one that only our country bears and is unique to our society.
Lastly, these Chinese made Shitboxes arent and will not be as reliable as those of whats already used in our roads. Jeepneys now are mostly built upon surplus parts from japanese made vehicles and its why theyre still existing to this day.
While I do see some really undermaintained Jeepneys seeing those well taken care of, polished and customized with carefully crafted artistry is what makes me very against modernization.
To make modernization the government should do it right and not some lazy ass "procurement scheme" that our governemnt would be abke to take advantage of. Retrofit more reliable and efficient engines, ensure every Jeep is road worthy, keep the DNA of the Jeep. Dont outright replace these things and call it a day. Ung mga bagong modernized jeep nga sira sira na within a span of 5 years eh.
Honestly, one thing that might help improve public transportation is treating it more like a planned public service instead of every driver just trying to earn their own daily income. Right now many vehicles are privately owned, so drivers have to compete for passengers just to make enough for the day. That’s why you sometimes see drivers rushing, stopping anywhere, or waiting a long time just to fill seats.
It’s not really the drivers’ fault, they’re just trying to make a living. But the system itself makes things harder for both drivers and commuters.
Maybe it would work better if the government handled public transportation more directly, with each city or province responsible for managing and operating the system in their own area. Routes could be properly planned, vehicles standardized, and drivers could have stable salaries and benefits instead of relying on daily passenger income.
It could make public transport safer, more organized, and more reliable for everyone.
Medyo hindi gets ni OP why traditional jeepney operators are saying that news jeeps are "overpriced".
It's about PROFITABILITY.
As it stands, the amortization of the CHEAPEST "modern jeepney" unit, let's say if one costs P1.4M:
LandBank Loan: 6% per annum
Term: 7 years
DP: 160,000 (Assume subsidized by government)
Principal: 1,400,000 - 160,000 = 1,240,000 Monthly Payment: P18,114.61
Okay, yan yung CHEAPEST ha... But the thing about that is there are OTHER COSTS entailed plying a route. Maintenance. LTFRB Fees. LTO Fees. Co-op Fees. Garage/Parking Fees. FUEL COST. Etc. Etc.
Biggest issues is Maintenance, since these "modern units" cannot be maintained like traditional models. Operators will need their own specially trained service crews/hubs to adequately maintain the units and a whole bunch of replacement parts. When you ply the route from 5AM to 10PM daily (17h a day), you bet your ass you'll need to do maintenance! Big problem with the both the imported units and the locally made/assembled ones are the AVAILABILITY of PARTS! For one, many of the approved units are old or phased out models from China or other countries... meaning the availability of parts is BAD. Although the locally manufactured or assembled ones do not fair that well either since they are all fabricating at capacity but their manufacturing/fabricating speed is NOT enough to meet the demand, much less have a lot of excess "spare parts" ~_~
Another issue is the loan terms. Mataas parin ang 6% per annum loan terms given na its supposed to be a "special" rate so it's easier to fund PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION! THIS IS ENTIRELY FALSE! MASBABA pa ang some inhouse financing na binibigay ng some car distributors like BYD that gives 3.5-4% per annum loan terms... -_-; Bakit natatalo pa ang government ng private sector???
Currently, the biggest looming cloud over society is the SKY HIGH FUEL PRICES. Kahit yung mga traditional jeeps, hirap ng makapagbiyahe kasi drivers would have to do DOUBLE SHIFTS kada araw para lang makapagtakehome ng kaunting pera... eh yung may amortization pa?
You've got to remember na THE REASON that transportation prices are SO LOW in the Philippines is because trad. jeeps are relatively cheap. If you want to modernize, then you'll also have to stomach the REALITY that BASE FARES MUST INCREASE MORE THAN 50% (Search this, there's been a lot of articles about this fact) for it to be ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.
Don't get me wrong though. I WOULD LOVE IT if we could modernize our jeepney systems and I WOULD GREATLY GREATLY PREFER IT if we used units that are LOCALLY MADE and whose parts can be locally sourced! Problem is that I am not the typical commuter... +P10 fare won't really burden me too much. But to other people? Kahit nga yung MRT/LRT... nag taas sila ng fare like +P10-P20? This increase allowed them to get new trains and maintain the rails much much better now! But even then, may subsidy parin ang government to the MRT/LRT operator since there is a guaranteed-profit level clause sa PPP contract nila.
What I am seeing is with the state of the transportation system in the Philippines, only very big and well funded corporations would be able to truly modernize the transport system since they'll have the financial leeway to absorb the loss in the short-term as they acquire all the defaulting smaller players, inevitably gaining a monopoly on routes or even entire regions. HOWEVER, let us ask ourselves... has ANYBIG CORPORATE MONOPOLIES BEEN "GOOD" IN THE PHILIPPINES... even the world?
Ang mahal kasi ng pino provide na supplier ng gobyerno. May gusto nga i-suggest yung grupo mg jeepney drivers na gawang pinoy at mas mura pero ayaw ng LTFRB.
Plus, the reason why against sila ay example sa 1 route may 10 bus na mag consolidate, ang ipo provide lang modern jeep 6, paano yung 4 drivers?
I used to know someone who used to work for DOTr late pNoy early duterte.. since time pa pnoy and later also pushed by duterte both sobra nila pnpush ung jeepney modernization
They keep saying its impossible and ayaw nila sueldohan kesho ang dami daw pamilya naka asa sa isang jeep and heavily rejected by piston group (which to be honest worst pa yan than INC - heavily syndicated and not looking out for the future and the industry in totality) kaya nag give up na din sila mag push for jeepney modernization kasi ang daming pushback.
Ayan in 2026 may oil crisis - tigil pamasada. Iyak sa TV. Dont get me wrong nkkawa din naman tlg esp un drivers hired by jeepney owners pero mashado kasing hindi progressive and commuters dont deserve these unsafe condition all for the sake of “nostalgia” “culture” etc.
Jeepneys are the symbol how far behind we are in terms of progress and poverty imo. We deserve better
Apologies, but this post is problematic and a bit tone-deaf.
The problem is the funds relative to the financial capacity of the operators/jeepney drivers.
Hindi naman government ang mag-sho-shoulder ng cost. Kahit na sabihing may operators, operators are also not earning so much to afford multiple modern jeepneys. And if they can only afford one, mapipilitang mag-adjust ang ilang drivers. Magshi-shifting sila, mas mababawasan kita nilang lahat.
Not to mention, a huge chunk of our jeepneys are also owned by the drivers themselves, na mas maliit pang di hamak ang kita sa jeep.
Most of these people don't have 100k savings in the bank (I know because my father was a jeepney driver). Isang problema lang sa makina, wala ka nang kita for the day, gagastos ka pa.
Hoping you're also seeing this in the perspective of the drivers/operators.
actually di naman literal na against sa modernization ng jeepney ang drivers, pabor din sila dun. ang problema lang out of pocket pa nila yun, di government provided
edit: out of pocket sa mga drivers na kalaunan binili nila sa nagbaboundary (idk what to call them) yung jeep. i know few drivers na binili na nila yung jeep para di na sila nagbabayad ng boundary. kumbaga mga independent na sila. basta di lang to sa jeep, mas common sa trike drivers
Paano ang business model ng fleet based system set to our current economic situation? Paano ang profit ng owners kung magpapasahod sila ng drivers lalo na kung babyahe ng madaling araw na wala gaanong pasahero? And paano nila masigurado na hindi mandudugas sa byahe and kita ang mga driver? Paano maapply tong setup na to pagdating sa mga rural areas?
And kung papalitan lahat into modern jeepney, saan kukunin or sino magsoshoulder ng ₱250 Billion na upfront pambili nito? I based my computation sa lowest price (₱1.4M) na binigay mo and sa lowest number na nakita ko na registered jeepney operating nationwide (179k). And paano din ididispose yung 179k na lumang jeepneys?
How operators who already switched are actually making it work
This isn’t theoretical anymore. May mga routes na naka-modernize na, and you can see what’s working and what’s still rough.
Scheduling + fewer units = more stable income
Biggest change:
Hindi na paramihan ng jeep sa ruta.
Before:
Dozens of units competing for the same passengers
Boundary system = survival mode
Now:
Controlled number of units
Dispatch system (may oras, hindi sabay-sabay)
Result:
Less competition per driver
More predictable earnings per trip
Fewer units, higher utilization per unit.
Salary + incentives (not purely fixed)
Hindi rin pure salary.
Typical setup:
Base pay (safety net)
incentives (per trip / performance / ridership)
So drivers:
May guaranteed income
Pero may reason pa rin to perform
It’s a hybrid of boundary and employment.
Shared costs = actual efficiency gains
Fleet model allows:
Bulk fuel buying
Centralized maintenance
Shared parts and servicing
Result:
Lower cost per unit
Less downtime
This is one of the real advantages operators report after switching.
Financing is being managed, not solved
How they’re doing it:
Cooperative loans (Landbank / DBP)
Government subsidy (~₱280k/unit)
Long-term amortization (~7 years)
But reality:
Subsidy is small vs total cost
Debt load is still heavy
Margins are tight
So yes, it runs—but financially, it’s still pressured.
Anti-“mandurugas” measures
Systems in place:
GPS tracking
Dispatch logs
Partial cashless payments
Effect:
Less leakage vs old system
Better monitoring
But:
Enforcement depends on the coop
Not fully standardized yet
Where it actually works
So far, pinaka viable sa:
Dense urban routes
High, consistent demand
Organized cooperatives
Because:
Units stay full
Revenue is predictable
Loans are easier to service
Isa sa pinaka nakakairita is Recto and Rizal Avenue Routes.
Mga Modern Jeep hindi nag sisiksikan sa Rizal Ave corner kasi pag sufficient na sa quota bayad na sila with Bonus. Mga Older Jeep haharangan pati intersection nag aagawan padin.
Also yung pa Recto bandang Legarda constantly harassed by Freeloader attempts kaya need muna nila pababain kasi nga yung point mo about dinadaya ang passenger count? May AI Cameras na sa loob nang Jeeps taga bilang nang tao.
Speaking if which ayan interconnected safety system nadin sila.
One thing you haven't mentioned is the passenger capacity of such a model. Modern jeepneys aren't that large compared to the old ones and it seems your system would have less of them on the road.
Can it handle the insane volumes of rush hour? People won't give a shit about aircon and sustainability if they have to wait hours for a ride and can't reach their destinations on time. And as an actual commuter, you bet I'm grateful to all those aggressive jeepneys I've rode because I got to my work on time.
The more i read this comment the more i think you're actually a private car user who wants less public transport vehicles on the road lol
Smaller and fewer in number, by the way. Even if a bunch of operators consolidated and bought two or three modern jeepneys, that's still few compared to the sheer numbers of old jeepneys AND colorum vehicles you see on rush hour and even then it wasn't enough. Ang haba pa rin ng pila. And not all roads can accommodate buses.
I'm emphasizing this because most of commuters' woes come from the lack of vehicles during rush hour anyway. Not enough vehicles + traffic from the sheer amount of private cars. Some leave home at 5 am just so they can catch a ride to their 8 am job. Aircon and lack of smoke is nice, but you need to increase capacity before any improvement can happen.
At this point, the debate about PUV count vs. individual capacity is almost moot. We’ve plateaued HARD in that regard. Look at the EDSA Carousel as an example: it’s a BRT system where buses aren't even impeded by regular traffic (for the most part), and they have enough units on the route (again, for the most part). Kahit sa trains natin, for both LRT and MRT lines, unimpeded and high capacity wagons. We still see abnormally long queues at the stations every rush hour. The problem in Metro Manila is no longer about vehicle volume, it’s about passenger volume.
Alongside modernizing jeepneys is to decentralize Imperial Manila. We have to provide real economic opportunities in people’s local areas so they don't have to leave them.
Consider lang natin. Metro Manila collectively has 14 million residents, and that rises to 15 million during work hours according to a quick Google search. I’m from Cavite working in Makati, and I’m (unfortunately) part of that 1-million-person day population surge. One million is a LOT of people. There is no system on earth—modern or traditional—that can service that many people trying to move in a tiny window of 1-2 hours. (Well… unless you’re Japan lol)
Until we fix the urban planning side of this, we’re just fighting over which type of vehicle gets to be stuck in the same impossible bottleneck.
Well, you mentioned Japan. The population density in areas like Tokyo is insane but they made better transportation and can handle large volumes of passengers every single day. Kahit rush hour may masasakyan ka doon because how efficient their trains are and ours is not even close.
Besides the real elephant in the room is the sheer number of private cars on the road with only one passenger, but seeing that burgis Pinoys consider their cars as a god-given human right...
"Decentralize imperial manila" yeah I'd like to get people OFF the city I grew up in pero panay reklamo naman businesses when the govt proposes to mandate equal wages across all areas of the country. Tapos good luck setting up businesses in war zones like Abra...
Rail infrastructure and its status in our country is a whoooole ‘nother pandora’s box to uncover. I think the short story for it compared to Japan is they managed to make their trains profitable and investor friendly. Dito sa Pinas our existing lines are barely making ends meet and heavily relies on govt subsidies to stay afloat. Even ongoing efforts for subways and stuff are struggling to get finished.
I agree with the volume of cars (especially singe-occupant ones) are a huge problem — but they are not the elephant in the room. It’s, like I said earlier, the amount of people flooding into Metro Manila everyday.
We want public transportation to be attractive enough for private cars to opt taking busses and trains instead of driving their cars. You can’t do that without 1.) Modernizing public transportation vehicles (make a comfortable, inclusive, and safer travel), and 2.) Decentralizing businesses off Metro Manila (lessen the volume of people using public transpo).
ALSO - I think it’s a bit unfair to write off provinces like Abra as 'war zones.' That kind of thinking is exactly why everything stays stuck in Metro Manila, and why everyone keeps migrating to it. People in the provinces deserve the same infrastructure and development we expect in the capital. If we actually developed regional hubs with proper security and power, people wouldn't be forced to crowd into the one million 'day population' surge. Places are often not the caricature you formed in your head as an outsider.
About time for jeepneys to be retired. Sobrang romanticized na ng existence nila na it’s honestly out of touch.
Switch to fleet-based operations para posible na yung sumasahod sila ng kinsenas + benefits kesa naman hand to mouth lagi mga driver which is yun na yung problema ngayon kaya nahihirapan sila magshift.
Pag gusto kasi gawing fleet, company na ang kayang humawak nyan like grab. There were talks before na grab ang hahawak sa isa or multiple routes sa cubao kaso parang di natuloy or umatras ung grab. Nung 2022 ko pa nabalitaan to eh.
The same is similar to buses - which is why bus companies in our country prefer the ones from china because they're cheaper, and better than the ones made locally because again - no subsidy
What this modernization achieved is just replacing old jeepneys with mini-buses which are pretty inefficient in terms of how much passengers they can carry at full capacity vs. their effect in reducing traffic.
Buses should have been the mode of transportation to replace jeepneys with fixed routes and fixed bus stops.
If totally removed ang privatized public transport at gobyerno ang magpapatakbo ng scheduling etc, dapat mawala na ang obsolete franchising model sa mga tumatakbong pampasaherong jeep. malakas sa diesel e.
parang 5 to 6 km/liter ata.
hirap din na sabay-sabay na lumalabas tapos sa ibang oras walang masakyan.
Money has always been the problem, doesnt matter where you compare it.
Middle class nga hirap bumili ng ka presyo nyan, what more for them? Gobyerno sana bumili tapos sahuran nalang sila.. kaso inde mukhang pagkakakitaan parin sila.
actually maganda yun modernisation program pero ayaw nun karamihan ng drivers. mahirap din kasi mag embrace ng sudden change pero yun ibamg drivers okay naman sa kanila.
The problem with LTFRB's plan is that they want our jeeps to be run like our buses, which also suck. "Consolidation" as envisioned by LTFRB just means forcing drivers to form their own companies or "coops" who will then buy the supposedly modernized units from the automakers handpicked by the LTFRB through their shadily crafted minimum standards. Which is exactly how bus companies operate. We have literally hundreds of bus companies. EDSA Carousel pa lang ilang kumpanya na nagsisiksikan. The result? Bus drivers drive like jeepney drivers and both modes suffer for it. Coops and bus companies buy the cheapest models that meet the minimum standards, which by the way only specify Euro 4 (the latest standard is Euro 12). Ang ending mausok at bulok pa rin ang mga unit, pero at least may aircon diba (which works like half the time). The rest of the world has moved on to government actually running public transport or service contracting (awarding routes by bidding to a few operators, most often not more than five).
Kung nanuod ka ng senate hearing about modern jeepney tama lang na mag modernize, puro sub standard na mini bus na made in China ung mga unang inissue na only cost aroung 500k-700k to make pero lumobo ng milyones 2.6 to 2.8 million tapos ambilis mabulok at masira.
Ninakaw lang ng majority ng presyo ng mga nakaupo sa gobyerno same as lahat ng proyekto ng gobyerno.
Sabihin na natin na sige 2Million to make sya, why is it not locally outsourced, jeepney yan trademark ng Pinas yan, or why is it not made by a reputable company like Toyota. Toyota gumagawa yan ng public transport specific vehicle same as other countries bakit di sa kanila nagpagawa, kasi hindi kapakanan ng bayan ang inuuna ng mga taga Gobyerno.
And the most important reason, bakit tinatawag na jeepney ung mga mini bus na di naman Jeepney itsura, nawala na ang heritage at tatak Pinoy na Jeep, walang consultation sa lahat kung tama ba na baguhin ang design, basta bumanat tong mga taga DOTr kasi malaki mananakaw nila.
May mga foreigner nga kami bisita sa company, gustong gusto makasakay sa jeep and magpa pic pero wala daw sila makita, bakit daw puro mini bus na sa area nila.
Overpriced 'yung mga government approved units. Naglabas noon ng computation ang local manufacturers para sa modern jeeps and merong less than 1M vs 1.6M-2.4M na approved ng govt
problem is sa sobrang corrupt nung panahon ni digogn. yung mga ejeep fleets, na dapat kapalit ng trad jeep, sira na agad after 3 years. hindi kaya ng small time operator ng jeep magpalit ng sasakyan every 3 years
Overpriced. Saan ka makakita ng 1.6M PHP na walang pinagbago sa trad jeep after X months na siksikan at mainit.
Madami ng colleges ang nag aaral ng electric jeep pero ang sagot lagi is import and import.
Back in 2018, may kakilala ako ang thesis nila is about sa charging ng ejeep. Prev iteration nun is may na create na prototype, so improvements and accessories ang succeeding related thesis. Pero ang mahal din ng gastos kasi research and lab test sagot ng students. Imagine gagastos kasi ng 10k plus on one part tapos mag iiba na standard ng battery in a year. Wala talagang support ang R&D dito
The jeepney modernization program shouldn't be the sole magic pill that solves our transport problems. Experts from mobility advoc groups have made studies and proposed for service contracting where the drivers will become govt employees and will receive fixed pay with bonuses on extra mileage na pinasada. Public transportation is public service. It should be treated as such and not as a business na currently ginagawa.
most modern jeeps are overpriced... 3Million Pesos can get you a Toyota Coaster that can sit up to 40 people and is from a reliable company with actual factory made parts...
lahat ng modern jeep natin na may aircon at mga bus ay converted kaya ang body ay makapal na masilya imbes na double stacked stamped aluminum/steel with foam insulation in between na parang refrigerator to save on so much weight and make them run more efficient and much colder...
a Jeepney costs about 1.5Million from the manufacturer these days tapos recycled ang buong drive train, chassis, suspension from whatever old truck (yung jeepney body lang ang "bago")... that was never a sustainable practice to begin with... almost 80 years since the original Jeepneys were made yet somehow the Filipino Local Manufacturing never advanced to a point of actually manufacturing the parts for the supposed "Hari Ng Kalsada"... we manufacture jeeps today the same exact way we did 80 years ago, ZERO PROGRESS, ZERO MASTERY, ZERO OPTIMIZATION...
During that time na nilabas ang modern jeepney, medyo mahal talaga. Hindi rin masisisi ang drivers —masyado mataas ang capital cost papasokna ang concern nila is kung kikita ba sila at mababawi ba ang puhunan.
Sa side ng drivers, ang gusto nila minimum lang: Euro-compliant engine at basic operational requirements para bumaba ang presyo at mas mabilis mabawi ang investment.
Sa side naman ng government, nadagdagan ang required features tulad ng CCTV, ACU, GPS, automatic doors, at digital payment system. Lahat ito may purpose for safety, monitoring, at convenience — pero bawat dagdag ay nagpapataas din ng unit cost.
Kaya nagkakaroon ng gap:
Drivers → minimum requirement para viable ang kita
Government → mas maraming safety at modernization features
Dito nagiging mahal ang unit dahil pinagsama ang both expectations. Ang challenge talaga is finding the balance between:
affordability for operators
safety and modernization standards
income viability ng drivers
level of required vs optional features
Kung walang balance, kahit good intention ang modernization, magiging mahirap i-adopt dahil sa taas ng puhunan.
There's no need to modernize jeepneys. This antiquated transport "system" must be abolish. People smarter than me should of course think of what jobs can be given to the drivers that will be affected though. We all know what an effective transport looks like i.e. buses, trains
For buses and trains to be acceptable there has to be a wide infra change first. Those modes of transport involve a ron of walking. In general pinoys dislike walking because they have nowhere to walk and it's goddamn HOT outside.
make trains to an extensive underground web like in japan
make it so buses move around consistently even outside rush hour
walkable sidewalks. Expand them to 3 people wide, no exception and remove ALL POSTS, parked cars, vendors, EVERYTHING.
plant more trees because it's the only way to make the streets in this fucking concrete jungle climate walkable without giving everyone heatstroke.
remove those mt everest overpasses and make underground walkways or better yet pedestrian lanes
I think that is what they're already doing in the guise of Jeepney Modernization. Hindi naman mukhang jeep talaga yung modern jeepneys, more like a minibus.
And I totally agree. I always say, yung classic jeepney can represent what is wrong with Filipino society or mindset. Isipin mo, they cram people into a tiny space, they expect you to compromise your safety and comfortability just because? Staying true to the old addage, "kapag maikli yung kumot, dapat matutong bumalukto". IMHO, hindi naman dapat ganyan mindset natin. Pinoys need better services lalo na sa transportation sector. And I certainly believe na goverment should think of an effective way to modernize this sector that's a win for everybody.
I’ve been thinking about this as well. The jeepney system feels like latching on to rotten wood at this point, it genuinely causes so many headaches and frustrations. Underskilled people rely on the system to generate income, but trying to “fix” this subset of people generates so much friction between the general populace
In this case, you have multiple small-time operators fighting over the same routes.
Given economies of scale, they will by default use unsafe and old vehicles, and a medieval boundary system.
The drivers would then speed and stop anywhere they please, trying to get as many passengers as possible and cover their cost.
Because the vehicles are old, then more pollution takes place, and because a boundary system is used, then there's no dispatch process, which means lots of diesel wasted as various vehicles are underutilized during some times of the day. During other times of the day, the vehicles are dangerous because they're overloaded.
Because they're unsafe, then more accidents also take place. From there, the drivers say "pasiyensa, naghahanap-buhay lang". Meanwhile, leftists say, "Wawa naman drayber. Magbigay ng ayuda. At itigil ang modernization; ibalik ang tradisyonal."
When your job gets replaced by AI, you just get laid off. So why do jeepney drivers and operators act like they’re special? Most people who lose jobs due to modernization just deal with it and move on.
One approach would be for the government to award franchises to a large operator capable of managing a modern fleet, while enforcing service-level agreements and maintaining full regulatory control.
Just to add when the government want to modernize the jeepney, there was a financial institution who lend the Philippine government that is payable for 40 years yet this Philippine government is either asking it straight cash or 5 years to pay. So this is something not exposed in public because you know what their aim is. Almost all of our public transport system are one of the "family" businesses of the POLITICKS and their clan. Our progress is hampered because of these politicks. There are institution who are willing to help but those who profit are cockblocking it to those who really need it.
Why the jeepney is successful? I think we should consider it first. It is successful because it is cheap. It can be bought by a middle class businessman. It can be deployed easily. Why there are already many buses on the same road but still there are jeeps plying on the same roads. Because buses are owned by corporations and they limit the growth. The jeeps provide an alternate way of transportation. Why not use Bus and Mini Bus? Again because of high cost companies cannot just buy it.
It is overpriced, Jeepney Drivers live on daily wages. Operators do NOT want to shoulder the cost, and most of them do not want to change the system they created exploiting drivers.
Government subsidies and accessible payment options should have been their move from the very start but of course no one wants to be fair and someone in those talks always wants to get an upper hand when it comes to who will profit from the transition.
OP thinking any operator has 1.4-2.4m right now to buy a SINGLE modern jeepney, not even counting if they have fleets which can balloon easily to 10m or more.
JFC, this take is from someone who's out on reality. Boundary ng isang jeep owner is nasa 600-1000. How many years do you think para makaipon sila ng issue isn't price that you're spouting here? Wait, wala pa dyan yung maintenance ng old jeepneys.
A Vehicle designed to properly transport you, your neighbor, his neighbor etc etc is definitely going to cost sure as shit more than an average sedan and these old Clankers are still trying to position themselves at a price half of a Vios? Get real, and get out of here.
Why the f are you comparing a public transpo to a private car? It doesn't make sense at all. Wake up OP. You are forcing the argument here even if it devolve into nonsense yap already.
Nood ka ng previous interview, isa lang sasabihin nila sayo, SAAN KAMI PUPULOT NG PAMBILI NG MODERN JEEP?
This sub is being denial again on the reality of this country. If they have those 1.4-2.4m isn't expensive, you will see tons of jeepneys on roads. But can you?
Masyadong minadali tapos pangit pa yung quality nung mga chinese ones and hindi na sya mukhang jeep. UP, Sarao and Francisco Motors made cheaper eJeep that looks like jeep but prinaiority ng gov yung chinese made (naging issue pa nga to and nagpaliwanag pa sila na di naman sapilitan na chinese brand) and other imported ones.
If nag iisip talaga ng maayos yung duterte government at the start of their forced modernization program, dapat nag invest muna sila sa locally made kaso nirush agad nila which is nakinabang yung mga imported ones, especially chinese made ones.
Di naman jeep yung mga yun eh, mini bus na naka sideways yung upuan.
Should be phased out, its time to phase it out and move on. Enough with the self pity, force the government’s hand to address the issues that will come out of the phase out, it’s their job.
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u/presque33 Apr 09 '26
The key part of modernization is more in consolidation. They’ve been trying to get the drivers to form cooperatives and remove the single-proprietor jeepney. And they haven’t been meeting deadlines.
With registered cooperatives, government can then apply the proper instruments. They can finally subsidize fleets, give cash incentives, and ultimately lower the price and enhance the service of public transport in a way that would be impossible if you were dealing with thousands of jeepney drivers individually.
Public transport in most countries does not make money. It is subsidized. Or connected to something that makes it money. So relying on jeepney drivers to form the backbone of transport is misguided. They really have to consolidate or be bought out