A Facebook (FB) video title claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos is not in favor of phasing out old jeepneys.
“Pbbm ayaw ng jeepney phase out (President Marcos does not want to phase out jeepneys),” the title of a March 2 video by FB page Project Palerista read.
This needs context. Marcos said that the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP) – started by the Department of Transportation in 2017 – is necessary but it was not implemented properly. Speaking to reporters last March 1, the president said:
“Ngayon doon sa issue sa modernization na sinasabi, sa aking palagay ay kailangan ding gawin talaga ‘yan. Ngunit sa pag-aaral ko, parang hindi maganda ang naging implementation nung modernization.”
(Now, on the issue of modernization, I think we really need to do that. But based on what I studied, the program was not implemented well.)
The modernization of jeepneys, which is part of the PUVMP, aims to replace traditional, diesel-powered jeepneys with newer jeepneys with lower emissions, or those that use electricity or solar power.
Project Palerista’s video appeared days after transport groups announced a week-long strike to call for the suspension of the jeepney modernization program.
Transport groups continued with Day 2 of the strike on Tuesday, March 7, even after the government extended the deadline for the phaseout of jeepneys from June 30 to the end of the year.
To support its claim and demonstrate that the president cares for jeepney drivers, the video used another segment of the March 1 interview:
“Hindi ‘yung just because five years old or 10 years old hindi na pwede. Tingnan natin ‘yung kondisyon. Kung maganda mag-alaga ‘yung driver, maganda ‘yung jeep niya, puwede pang gamitin ‘yan, safe pa naman.”
(Just because a [jeep] is five years old or 10 years old doesn’t mean that it isn’t [road worthy]. Let’s look at the condition. If the driver maintains it properly, his jeep runs well, it is safe and can still be used.)
The video got a total of 3,500 reactions, 410 comments, and 77,000 views. Project Palerista was originally created on May 24, 2016 as the FB page Hashtag Foodtrip.
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