UP-PHILCOA jeepney drivers are scrambling for alternatives after the sudden announcement of the terminal’s closure to accommodate the storage of construction materials for the upcoming Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7). 

MRT-7 is a railway project proposed in 2004, covering 14 stations through San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to Quezon. While the construction has been delayed for years, the Quezon City segment of the project is slated for completion in the last three months of 2025. 

With its third station located near University Avenue, the construction would displace the UP-PHILCOA jeepneys currently stationed in the parking lot of the partially demolished Citimall.

While the MRT-7 contractors stated during a hasty site visit last Jan. 23 that the jeepney terminal would be transferred a few meters away from the current areato the old Jollibee parking lot,  Ferdie Damasco, president of the UP-PHILCOA Jeepney Drivers Association, fears that the relocation site remains uncertain due to the lack of official documents. 

“Ang sabi, gumawa raw ako ng sulat sa contractor [para sa relocation site], pero paano ako makakagawa? Hindi ko nga kilala kung sinong susulatan ko,” Damasco said.

Displaced jeepneys will soon crowd the small space of the old Jollibee parking lot (Lorence Lozano/Philippine Collegian).

Before the pandemic, drivers had already been informed that the MRT-7 construction would likely displace them. But after years of delays and lack of updates, they were surprised to learn that their terminal would be closed by the first week of February with barely a warning.

Since its construction started in 2016, the MRT-7 project, funded by San Miguel Corp., has affected several highways including the Regalado and Quirino Avenue, which were reduced by one or two lanes to give way for the railway construction. 

While the project promises a 30-minute travel time from Bulacan to Quezon City, the delays in its construction have contributed to traffic along Commonwealth Avenue to the city center. Now, with the start of construction along University Avenue, drivers could face the same fate. 

This has been the pattern for several public-private infrastructure projects—displacing urban communities with little to no guarantee of proper relocation areas. For one, the Light Rail Transit Line 1 Zapote Station in Bacoor, Cavite is threatening to force families out of their homes without consultation. 

Damasco also raised concerns about the safety and suitability of the parking lot, believing that the site could put both drivers and commuters at risk. During peak hours, the small parking lot could become overcrowded, intensifying the heat expected this coming summer.

While Damasco said that they will likely hire additional dispatchers to guide the commuters and ensure their safety, drivers themselves are prone to weather hazards as the area is prone to flooding, especially during the rainy season. 

“Very exposed at walang source of shade sa Jollibee parking lot. This is in comparison sa PHILCOA terminal na pinapasukan ko pag pupunta ako sa UP na pwede sa Citimall maghintay at pumila doon sa lumang building ng CitiMall, which is well protected from the elements,”  Kristian Mendoza, University Student Council (USC) community rights and welfare councilor, said.

Rain or shine, the parking lot beside Citimall has served as a station for the jeepneys, ensuring shade for both commuters and drivers. (Lorence Lozano/Philippine Collegian)

Since the threats of the terminal closure began, Damasco has feared that they may not be able to return to the old terminal once the construction is completed. Although the contractors ensured that the drivers will be given a slot once construction is finished, he worries that the parking lot may soon impose a fee since privately owned San Miguel Corp. will be operating the railway. 

Other private corporations have also begun crowding the area along MRT-7’s route. Major land developers, including Ayala Land, Araneta Group, SM Development Corp., and Vista Land, have even acquired properties along the railway’s route in anticipation of its completion. 

With developers rushing to secure properties along the route, Damasco, who is still awaiting a dialogue with the UP administration, feels that every passing day only heightens his worry that he and his fellow jeepney drivers will be evicted without a proper relocation site.  

As of now, the USC has requested a dialogue with the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Jerwin Agpaoa, but the meeting has been postponed twice, further aggravating the drivers’ worry. 

“Sana suportahan kami ng mga estudyante, at ang admin naman ay makapag-isip din na para ito sa ikagaganda ng relasyon ng UP drivers at saka mga estudyante,” he said. ●