Labor conditions of bus drivers in the major provincial bus companies in the Philippines

Abstract

This study focuses on the PUB drivers of major bus companies in the Philippines with liberating theory as its lens. It scrutinized the laws implemented with regard to the labor conditions of PUB drivers. It also analyzed the state of unionism in the bus transport. The labor conditions of PUB drivers go unnoticed to the eyes of the passengers and the general public. Most of the time, they are seen negatively due to the high frequency of their accident involvement. In 2012, a department order from the DOLE was issued to reduce the number of bus accidents and to improve the working conditions of the PUB drivers. At first look, the department order seems to answer for the problems of the PUB drivers, but it actually aggravates it. Almost all the provisions stated in the department order were written in the Labor Code but not implemented by bus operators. They are doing the paper works, but as Atty. Jaime Garcia put it, "submission is one thing, compliance is another thing." The department order is liberally construed, leaving its interpretation to the hands of the profit driven companies, as opposed to the drivers who want a decent pay for their family. There are a lot of violations committed by the bus operators against the PUB drivers, such as the non-remittance of SSS, Pag-ibig, PhilHealth, and taxes, long hours of work beyond prescribed, and unfair labor practice. Severe labor conditions of PUB drivers are further aggravated by inefficient laws and weak support of the government, as well as the prevalence of yellow unions.