Know More about the Modern Jeepney Prototypes Here

Philippine Parts Maker Association (PPMA) President Ferdinand Raquelsantos has a lot to smile these days. Its recent display of modern jeepney prototypes at the first Philippine Auto Parts Expo last October 12, 2017 had generated a lot of positive and surprised reactions--with no less than the jeepney drivers and operators who visited the exhibit.

"Many of them were surprised that the units were attractive, considering there were many accessories, like the CCTV, GPS, WiFI," according to Raquelsantos.

The prototypes still have a long way to go, and they'll be ready by the third quarter of 2018. So we sat down with Raquelsantos so he could give us more information about where they are right now.

What's the government's timetable?

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has already started with the first step, which was to introduce the prototypes to the public. The second step would be to test it.

According to Raquelsantos, testing not only includes the vehicles themselves, but also the entire process--such as how the government's financial subsidy will be implemented, the GPS, what financial incentives to give, how to dispatch units in certain routes, and what kind of design and platform it would use.

The government will choose a design and platform by the end of the year, since they plan to launch and market the chosen jeepney prototype/s by July 2018.

What does the cooperative do?

According to Raquelsantos, those who want to be part of the Modernization Program should join a cooperative or corporation first. Once they do, then the unit automatically includes the franchise or permit to operate.

Each member is a partner of this cooperative, which will now act as their operator. The cooperative (or corporation) is also mandated to give each driver a fixed salary, which is around P900 per day. Any other profits will be divided to all members accordingly.

Who gets the subsidy?

The government will give the financial incentive (P80,000) or subsidy to the entire cooperative, and not to individual drivers. So if there are ten members in a cooperative, then they will receive P800,000 from the government.

What will the government's criteria be when choosing which jeepney prototype to use?

It will use three criterias when deciding which jeepney prototype to use on the road:

"First, it has to be ecofriendly, whether (it's) an engine or electric; it should pass the Bureau of Philippine Standard's dimensional measurement, and, like a beauty contest, it should also be the prettiest," he said.

Which designs stood out?

Speaking of design, which prototypes at the show garnered the most attention from visitors?

According to Raquelsantos, the one that stood out the most was the SR prototype, which resembled the traditional jeepney.

Actually, many of the jeepney prototypes looked the same, but there were a couple that stood out. If we were to judge the entries, these would be our top picks:

1st Place

We chose SR's prototype because it really resembles the traditional jeepney. However, Raquelsantos thinks that producing this type of unit for mass assembly will be more expensive compared to others.

2nd Place

We think QEV's design almost resembles a jeepney, with a bit of a modern twist.

3rd Place

Hino's jeepney prototype doesn't resemble a jeepney, but more of a small bus. However, we like the design--simple, creative, and colorful.

Why is the design like that?

Raquelsantos agrees that there are many changes to the modern jeepney's appearance.

"The reason why the jeepney's appearance was drastically changed was because number one: safety consideration. The entry is now on the side. Another factor for the change is convenience. Now, the seat size is correct already, the height clearance is now appropriate. And more than that, it's also eco-friendly.”

Who will choose the final designs?

The final say would come from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It will choose one or more designs, and possibly with different platforms as well.

"So it can probably be a Centro using a Tata platform, or an Almazora using an Isuzu platform," Raquelsantos said.

Can other people besides drivers and operators buy it?

Yes, the jeepneys can be purchased by private individuals and even other businesses. What's more, they can even use it for other purposes, such as for business deliveries or family trips.

"You can buy and use these vehicles for personal use, but you're not included in the modernization program. And you won't get a subsidy from the government."

“If you’re an OFW (and you plan to use it for your transportation business), then you can establish a corporation and then operate. If you lack money for this, you can get a partner to form one. You can be five, three or even 20 (in the group), create a corporation, and then hire drivers."

"But before you can do that, you have to have  a route, and for you to have a route, you should be a member of a driver's association, like the Federation of Jeepney Operators Drivers Associations of the Philippines (FEJODAP)," shared Raquelsantos.

How can these modern jeepneys be purchased?

The entire process of buying the jeepney hasn't been established yet, since the government hasn't chosen the final jeepney design to use on the road.

What's known, however, is that drivers can get a loan from either Landbank or Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

But can the jeepney driver really afford it?

We asked what the common objections he heard from the visitors were, and the usual answer was (not surprisingly) concern over the huge expenses that drivers will shoulder.

For example, PISTON, one of the more vocal groups against the Modernization Program contends that it will bury them in debt, and the P800 daily fee will be difficult to pay considering the measly P600 drivers earn each day.

Raquelsantos disproves this statement, and explains that PISTON hasn't taken account many factors in their calculation.

"PISTON’s allegations are wrong. They haven't studied the true coverage, and haven't simulated the actual income. They didn't take into consideration the number of passengers.  Before they have 16 passengers, but with the new jeepney, they can accommodate 23-32 passengers. With that, their income already doubles."

"Second, their jeeps average 14 days a month running. The rest of the days they're down. The new ones have a full-service warranty and can be made to run every day for the whole month," he said.

He explained that full-service warranties are good in that there are easily accessible service centers that drivers can go to for repairs. What's more, those made by local manufacturers can easily buy spare parts in the country.

"They will also save 40% on fuel--something which PISTON hasn’t included in their calculations."

"Euro-4 engines have better mileage, around 12km/liter as opposed to the old jeepneys having around 4km - 5km per liter consumption."

"What's more, these jeepney drivers will also get a fixed salary of P900 per day, and they'll work for 7-8 hours daily. There will be two drivers assigned per unit, so the jeepney will run for for a total of 14 hours a day. Compare this to a driver's present P500-P700 earnings daily.

"And many of these jeeps will be in an air-conditioned setting," he added.

So there you have it. We're sure many of you are already waiting for these modern jeepneys to be used on the road. Let's hope things turn out well and go as planned.