A jeepney driver plying the Alabang-SM Southmall route had to temporarily halt his trip after his vehicle ran out of fuel, as he no longer fills his tank to full capacity due to the high price of diesel.
Commuter Janey posted a TikTok video of the driver, Allan, stopping the trip shortly after she boarded the jeepney in the middle of the day since he had run out of fuel.
“Hindi pala nasiraan, kundi naubusan na ng diesel si tatay,” she wrote on the social media platform, along with a broken heart emoji.
Diesel is among the most expensive types of fuel in the country, with prices reaching as high as P170 per liter.
“What should’ve been a 5-minute ride turned into almost 30.
I took a jeepney today to get my car — and today was different,” Janey wrote in her post.
“Walang choice. Tumakbo siya, may dalang puting galon, sa ilalim ng tirik na araw,” she added, referring to the fuel that Allan had to procure in the middle of his trip.
“Isa-isa nang bumaba ‘yung mga pasahero. Hanggang sa halos kalahati na lang kaming natira,” Janey said.
She said it took him over 15 minutes to find fuel for his jeepney.
According to Allan, one gallon of diesel already costs more than P400.
“Humingi siya ng pasensya at nag-antay kami sa kanya,” Janey said in the video.
@mejjjjj What should’ve been a 5-minute ride turned into almost 30. I took a jeepney today to get my car—and today was different. Kakasakay ko pa lang, biglang tumigil yung jeep. Hindi pala nasiraan kundi naubusan na ng diesel si tatay. 💔 Walang choice. Tumakbo siya, may dalang puting galon, sa ilalim ng tirik na araw. 😢😩 Isa-isa nang bumaba yung mga pasahero. Hanggang sa halos kalahati na lang kaming natira. 10 minutes… wala pa siya. 15 minutes… wala pa rin. Pwede naman akong bumaba. Hindi pa nga ako bayad. Pero naisip ko: paano kung pagbalik niya, wala na kaming lahat? After almost 20 minutes, may dumating na @Move It PH ♬ hide the pain – death by falling
In an interview, Allan said he felt embarrassed for inconveniencing his passengers.
“Nahihiya po ako sa mga pasaherong iba kasi bumaba na lang sila kasi, siguro, nainip dahil medyo matagal-tagal din ako kasi, naghanap pa ako ng gasolinahan na magbibigay sa galon,” he was quoted in a report.
The report said that some jeepney drivers, like Allan, take home only P250 to P300 from their 12- to 14-hour trips, with most of their earnings going to fuel.
Another report said that some drivers earn as little as P200 for an entire day’s work because of the high cost of fuel.
Transport group PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) president Mody Floranda said that traditional jeepney drivers spend over P3,000 a day on fuel, with their vehicles consuming around 30 liters per day.
The report said that some jeepney drivers, like Allan, take home only P250 to P300 from their 12- to 14-hour trips, with most of their earnings going to fuel.
The group added that around 20% of public utility vehicle drivers and operators have reduced their trips due to rising fuel prices.
Motorists are facing steep increases in diesel, gasoline, and kerosene prices due to the conflict in the Middle East, a key oil-supplying region.
The conflict has severely disrupted the shipment of petroleum products, as suppliers face difficulties transporting oil amid military tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
