Jeepney Driver Expresses Frustration as Fuel Prices Leave Him w/ Just P56 Take-Home Pay
A jeepney driver struggles as a massive fuel price increase leaves him with just P56 take-home pay after spending P1,200 on diesel.
The surging fuel prices are taking a heavy toll on jeepney drivers, making it harder for them to earn a living. For some, continuing their daily trips no longer makes sense because the income barely covers their expenses.
One driver, Benny Medina struggles due to surging fuel prices. After spending the whole day on the road, he ended up with only P56 in his pocket. The small amount came after already setting aside money for fuel and paying the required boundary. The amount he brought home was not even enough to buy a kilo of rice.
“Ang diesel ko kahapon P1,200 maghapon tapos ang kinita ko ‘yung sumobra, P56 pesos kasama na barya. Tapos nagboundary lang ako,” Medina said.
The huge increase in diesel prices has made daily operations more difficult. With fuel reaching over P100 per liter, drivers are forced to spend a large portion of their earnings just to keep their vehicles running.
“P1,000 araw-araw nakakaraos ka. Okay na yun kesa wala sa ngayon nagshoshort ka,” he added.
At the same time, there are fewer passengers. Many workers now stay at home or limit travel to save money, which adds to the problem.
Some drivers have chosen to stop operating their jeepneys for now due to the current situation. Instead, they wait for special trips that offer better pay. Others, like Medina, have no choice but to borrow money just to get by, even if it means dealing with high-interest lenders.
In other areas, drivers continue to work despite earning very little money. Some only take home around P100 to P150 a day, which is barely enough for food. Paying the full boundary has also become difficult, forcing them to ask operators for consideration or treat unpaid balances as debt.
Government aid programs are being distributed to help drivers cope, but many still find it not enough.
In a similar report, a ride-hailing app driver earns only P3 after 12 hours due to high fuel prices
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