A jeepney operator laments

By Herbert Vego

THE will to survive is what keeps Jonathan Lupo, 53, in business as owner of two air-conditioned “modernized jeepneys” (actually mini buses) plying the Ungka, Pavia-Iloilo City route.  He is one of the partners of the JJL Transport Services that operates 15 units.

In a telephone conversation with this writer, he decried the rising cost of oil as a ticking time bomb that could explode and “kill” his business.

With diesel prices now hitting PHP 138 per liter, each of his two buses now consumes around PHP 5,000 worth of diesel per day.

He lamented that the minimum fare rates have remained nailed to PHP 15 (regular) and PHP 12 (senior) for the first four kilometers

For those reasons, the income of each unit hardly compensates for fuel and the daily wages of a driver and a conductor at PHP 750 and PHP 580, respectively,  plus more for office personnel.

Under the jeepney modernization program, drivers and conductors are considered employees who receive regular wages and are entitled to social security benefits like SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth.

The six round trips that each bus has to complete every day may sometimes not be enough to break even.

“I am thankful that in that case,” Jonathan said, “they make an added seventh trip. Naturally, I see to it that I do not miss paying their salaries on time.”

However, he is already behind by six months of amortization to the bus dealer, which is PHP 33,000 per month per unit for seven years.

A modernized jeepney, usually China-made, costs from PHP 2.4 million when paid in cash.

How long can they go?

As long as their units are not foreclosed, probably.

-oOo-

‘SOLARIZATION’ THROUGH MORE POWER

IS Juan dela Cruz now in the position to shift to solar or energy from the sun?

Yes, because it may now be integrated into the grid through Iloilo City’s distribution utility, MORE Electric and Power Corp.

As early as three years ago, the chairperson of the Energy Regulatory Commission forged a tripartite agreement with MORE Power President Roel Castro  and the then Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, which called for advancement of solar power through the net-metering program.

Net metering through MORE Power is a program allowing customers with grid-tied solar systems (up to 100 kW) to export excess electricity to the grid in exchange for credits on their monthly bills. The solar electricity that is not consumed by the customer is automatically exported to the system, where its peso value is credited to the customer’s electric bill.

How it Works: When solar panels produce more energy than the home or business uses, the excess is sent back to the grid.

When exposed to sun rays, solar panels produce an electric charge, creating a direct current (DC). An inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC), the type of current used in powering everyday electrical equipment and appliances.

MORE Power credits the exported energy, which is then used to reduce the customer’s electricity bill.

A net meter calculates the net difference between energy consumed from the grid and energy exported.

This program is aimed at fostering environmental sustainability and assisting in reducing power cost.

Many qualified end-users in Iloilo City have already been issued certificates of compliance by the ERC under the net metering program.

There are entrepreneurs engaged in importation and installation of solar panels in Iloilo.  One of them is my friend Joseph Teruel of Peak Power, which has already “solarized” such buildings as the Medicus Hospital, St. Paul’s University, and the Iloilo City Public School Teachers Cooperative, among others.