Anakbayan Southern Mindanao Region (SMR) staged a picket rally at Freedom Park on Roxas Avenue in Davao City, on Monday, urging the city government of Davao to adopt a pro-people transport modernization program amid the fast-tracked implementation of the Davao Bus Project (DBP).
The group criticized the DBP, part of the Davao City Public Transport Modernization Project (DCPTMP), saying the planned phaseout of traditional jeepneys in favor of modern buses would displace thousands of drivers and burden commuters instead of addressing real transport issues.
The DBP is part of the DCPTMP with main features include phasing out traditional jeepneys from the streets and replace them with modern buses, and improve connectivity.
Anakbayan SMR Chairperson Fauzhea Guiani stressed the importance of youth support for the transport sector, calling the bus project a “bogus” and “anti-people” form of modernization.
Guiani warned that the DBP could leave no fewer than 7,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers jobless and potentially raise minimum fares to as high as P35.
“Dakong hasol ug pabug-at sa katawhan palas-anong dako sa mga drayber ug komyuter ang pag-implementar sa Davao Bus Project,” she said in a statement.
She added that students and youth would also suffer from the impacts of the jeepney phaseout.
The group also questioned the city’s purchase of 10 modern buses imported from China, which arrived in October and were expected to offer free peak-hour rides by mid-November but remain non-operational.
Guiani described these units as an expensive “trial run” meant to condition commuters into accepting the DBP.
“P10 million ang kantidad sa kada usa ka bus kwarta nga unta igahin para sa batakang panginahanglanon sa mga Dabawenyo,” she said.
She also noted that the project is tied to a P54-billion Asian Development Bank loan that taxpayers will shoulder.
Guiani argued that the DBP fails to address Davao City’s traffic problem, which she attributed not to jeepneys but to the government’s lack of regulation on the growing number of private vehicles.
As an alternative, Anakbayan SMR pushed for rehabilitating existing PUVs and restoring the five-year franchise validity for jeepneys to allow small operators and drivers to continue serving the public.
“Angay palambuon ang transportasyon pinaagi sa rehabilitasyon sa mga PUV ug pagbalik sa lima ka tuig nga prangkisa,” Guiani said.
She emphasized that the group supports modernization, but only if it prioritizes people’s welfare.
“Dili kita babag sa modernisasyon, apan kung ang modernisasyon para lamang sa mga kapitalista ug pipila, angayan kini batukan,” she concluded.
