Jeepney Driver Skips Lunch Just to Bring Home P300 Income as Oil Prices Continue to Rise
A jeepney driver is skipping his lunch just to bring home P300 after a long day on the road amid a three-digit diesel price.
For many drivers, earning a living has become harder as fuel prices continue to rise. One of them is Elmer Tano, a jeepney driver who has spent over 30 years on the road.
Recently, Mang Elmer has been facing one of the toughest times in his life as daily expenses keep increasing while his income continues to shrink. He shares a jeepney with another driver, working in shifts, so each of them only drives for half a day.
In the past, this setup was enough to earn a decent amount. Now, things have changed. From what used to be around P700 in daily take-home pay, he now brings home only about P300 after expenses.
“Imbes na kumita sana ako ng mga P700 ngayon, P300 na lang mauuwi ko,” Tano said.
A big portion of his earnings goes to fuel. For just a few trips along his usual route, he already spends more than P800 on diesel. On top of that, he still needs to pay the boundary fee to the operator. After covering these costs, very little is left for his personal needs and his family.
To cope, Elmer has started cutting back on his meals. Instead of eating three times a day, he now limits himself to breakfast and dinner. He skips lunch and settles for a small snack just to save money.
Every peso matters, especially since he also tries to support his wife and college-aged child living in Angono. There are days when he cannot send any money home at all.
“Dalawa na lang ako kumakain eh. Sa umaga lang, sa kagabi na lang eh. Mag meryenda na lang ako sa tanghali. Kasi kung kainan pa nimo, wala na. Kasi mahal ang bilihin na talaga pag kumain ka eh,” he added.
The jeepney driver chooses to save what little he has until he can send a more meaningful amount. To reduce expenses further, he sometimes sleeps inside his jeepney in Quezon City instead of traveling back home.
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