02/10/2026
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๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น โ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ.
Every morning, before the sun begins to rise, students set out on a familiar journeyโthe journey to school. Bags slung over their shoulders, uniforms straightened, and sleepy eyes preparing for another day of learning, they step out of their homes carrying more than just books and assignments. Some walk to the nearest terminal, others still have one tricycle ride before the jeepney ride, while others wait along the roadside with fellow commuters, hoping to catch a ride before the morning rush. In their pockets or hands are coins carefully set aside not for leisure or pleasure, but for one simple necessity: getting to school safely and on time.
Yet lately, the journey seems to demand more and the coins feel a little heavier.
A few additional pesos may appear insignificant on paper, like a small adjustment in the fare matrix or an ordinary response to rising fuel prices and the growing cost of keeping public transportation running. But for students who depend on a fixed daily allowance, every peso has a purpose. One is set aside for the morning ride, another for the journey home, and whatever remains must stretch across meals, school supplies, projects, and unexpected expenses. What may seem like a small increase to some can mean a huge change and difficult choice for others.
Sometimes, a few pesos can make the difference between a full meal and an empty stomach, between having enough for tomorrow and having to borrow just to get by.
For some, it means setting aside less money for lunch. For others, it means walking a little farther, leaving home a little earlier, or asking their parents for additional money when the family budget is already stretched thin. Not everyone has the heart to ask for money, let alone to ask for a little more.
And yes, these sacrifices may seem small to those who do not experience them, but to students who count every coin before spending it, even one-peso matters. Behind every fare paid is a story of adjustment, a quiet struggle, and a hope that tomorrow will be a little easier than today.
As students, we understand that drivers have their own struggles, too. "๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ธ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ธ๐ผ๐บ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟโ as they say. And daily commuters like students relate and understand how they face rising fuel prices, vehicle maintenance expenses, and the uncertainty of earning enough to provide for their families. Their work keeps communities moving, carrying workers to their jobs, parents to their responsibilities, and students to their classrooms. Behind every turn of the wheel is someone trying to make a living, put food on the table, and bring something home to the people waiting for them. They, too, deserve fair compensation and a livelihood that allows them to live with dignity. Their hardships should not be overlooked simply because we are struggling with ours.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ.
The question is not whether drivers deserve fair compensation or whether students deserve affordable transportation. There shouldnโt be a fight nor a sacrifice to be made by either, both deserve to be heard and most importantly, to be considered. The real challenge lies in finding a solution that supports transport workers without placing an unreasonable burden on passengers, particularly students and families already living within tight budgets. Accessible student discounts, meaningful government assistance, and reliable public transportation are among the measures worth considering.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐. After all, a fair solution should help both sides move forward, not leave one behind just so the other can get by โ just like how the jeepney wheels go.
In the end, we are more than students counting coins and passengers waiting for a ride. We are dreamers carrying the hopes of our families, young minds striving for a future we have yet to see. Every morning, we pay a fare to move forward, but the price we carry extends far beyond the coins in our pockets.
And as we continue to chase the future we have always envisioned, may the road ahead never become too costly for us to reach it.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป.
Written by: Mary Cyrine Dela Paz, Probies
Illustrated by: Berlene Cobacha, Staff
