Cebu motor taxi drivers struggle with earnings cut amid global oil crisis

CEBU, Philippines – It was unusual for motorcycle taxi driver Eric Arnival to wait 30 minutes before getting booked to ferry commuters in Cebu City on Wednesday, March 18.

For him and fellow driver Jobert del Servandil, bookings typically took only a few minutes before they had to return to the road, finish the journey, and repeat the same process for a day’s worth of work.

According to them, their earnings really depended on the number of ride bookings they could accomplish. If there were only a few, the best they could earn in a day was less than P1,000.

Following the second oil price hike on Tuesday, March 17, due to the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, motorcycle drivers-for-hire braced for impact, specifically in the form of reduced earnings.

“Kadyut ra kaayo, ni-abot na og P250 akong tubil gahapon. Pila rato ka rides — dako na kaayo diperensya ba,” Arnival said. 

(Even for a short while, refueling reached up to P250 yesterday. It was only a few rides — there really is a huge difference.)

Arnival lamented having no choice in the matter. He said it was difficult to accept earning less daily due to not only a lack of passengers but also higher fuel costs.

The two drivers hoped to at least see an increase in their earnings through a higher share in booking fees or through a proposed government fuel subsidy. 

“Nakabutang daw na survey. Pili-on [mga beneficiaries] unya ang magpili, gobyerno man. Unta kuanon nila kay apektado man tanan,” Servandil said.

(There was a survey. Some beneficiaries would be chosen, but the one choosing is the government. They should at least do something since we’re all affected.)

If these unfavorable conditions continue, Arnival and Servandil said they would consider switching to other driving jobs to secure a regular daily wage. 

Challenges

Meeting the daily quota is difficult enough for motor taxi drivers, but for habal-habal drivers like Jason Tabanas, who have no control over their fares, the challenge is much more complicated.

“[Ang plete] depende jud sa pasahero man. Makasabot man ang uban, pero ang uban dili jud. [Pun-an namo] plus P5 lang, [para] P15, P20, P25. Ang uban di man jud,” Tabanas explained. 

(The fares will depend on the passenger. Some will understand, some won’t. We try to add just P5, so fares will be P15, P20, P25. Others won’t budge.)

Tricycle drivers also face huge losses. Leavan Cabreros, a tricycle driver in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, told Rappler on Wednesday that they haven’t had a fare increase since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in early 2020.

“Alkansi. Unsaon man nato ana? Wa’y bugas. Wala’y mahimo kay focus lang gihapon sa drive,” Leavan Cabreros shared. 

(It’s a loss. But what can we do? We can’t buy rice. We have no choice but to keep focusing on driving.)

Cabreros added that they’re forced to continue their usual rounds with only a handful of passengers instead of waiting until their tricycles get to full capacity. He and his fellow tricycle drivers hoped to get at least a P5 increase in the base fare, and that the government would take more tangible actions to address rising living costs.

“Ang among tubil ani kada adlaw, pila amo tax gihatag sa gobyerno? [Dapat] ang tutokan ang kanang pamaliton,” tricycle driver Paul Jake Castillo said. 

(With what we pay for gas per day, how much tax are we giving to the government? They should focus on the prices of goods.) 

Local protests

As of Wednesday, the Cebu provincial government announced plans for fuel and rice subsidies for public transportation drivers, including habal-habal drivers. The Cebu City government, likewise, has plans to provide supplementary subsidies for public transport drivers. 

Additionally, the provincial government laid out proposals to implement a “Libreng Sakay” program involving select buses traveling from the north and south to Cebu City. 

The government’s response to the crisis has prompted groups such as jeepney driver organization Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) Cebu to hold transport strikes on Thursday, March 19, advocating for more tangible and effective solutions. 

According to Piston Cebu, more than 80% of jeepney operations along major routes in Cebu City were paralyzed due to the transport strike. Police said at least 50 people joined the rally staged in front of Gaisano Metro in Colon Street on Thursday afternoon.

Protestors called for a P5-fare hike for jeepneys, an immediate P55 rollback of fuel prices, and removal of the 12% value-added tax and excise taxes on petroleum products. 

Beyond these immediate concerns, the groups also emphasized long-term reforms, such as a P1,200 minimum wage for workers, the junking of the oil deregulation law, and national industrialization for oil. 

As fare increases are set aside for state-sponsored bus rides, motor taxi drivers across Cebu are forced to confront rising fuel costs and question whether work is still worth doing if conditions persist.

“Niumento na among kalisod pero ang plete mao ra (Our hardships have increased but our fares stay the same),” Tabanas said. – with reports from Gwyneth Antonio/Rappler.com

Gwyneth Antonio is a Cebu-based Rappler intern and a senior anthropology student at University of San Carlos.