Modernising the ‘king of the road’: Pathways for just transitions for the Filipino jeepney

Abstract

Transitioning to cleaner technologies and public transport service delivery are fundamental needs in addressing the climate crisis and realising mobility justice, especially in the Global South. But while low carbon transport is a vital element of meeting this demand, the transition process must be just and not disenfranchising to the thousands of informal transport workers who will be negatively affected by state transport modernisation programmes. This is why this research engages with the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) in the Philippines, which aims to replace the so-called ‘king of the road’ called jeepneys with modern vehicles. These public utility vehicles (PUVs) are a major cultural icon in Philippine streets that served the riding public since the aftermath of World War II. But without receiving any technological and business innovations, they have become major targets for government intervention that are largely unaffordable to low-income jeepney drivers and operators. Through my interviews with Philippine government transport agencies, private sector representatives, and civil society organisations alongside a review of media coverages and policy and academic discourses, and participant observation, I navigated around the issues surrounding the PUVMP. This programme is largely seen by jeepney organisations and critical civil society organisations as means to phase out this Filipino cultural icon, an anti-poor measure, and a means for the corporate capture of the public transport sector. With these issues, the quest for just transitions through anchoring the PUVMP to having incremental changes, inclusive dialogues, and industry support serve as important considerations to ensure the sustainability and inclusivity of this programme, especially in the post-Covid 19 pandemic era.