The School Jeepney Project of Mendez Pantawid Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) has started its implementation as the jeepney was bought last August 30, 2017.

The Mendez Pantawid SLPA was organized on March 15, 2016 composed of forty-five beneficiaries. Based on the result of the Participatory Livelihood Issue Analysis (PLIA), the beneficiaries were able to identify that the main problem of the community is the limited means of transportation.

Brgy. Mendez, a hilly, rocky road which is about 20 kilometers away from town, is one of the interior barangays of Mogpog. There were only two units of Public Utility Jeepney that take passengers, goods, and merchandise from remote barrio of Mendez to Mogpog and vice versa. In addition, the parents of beneficiaries worry for the safety and health of their children going to school especially during rainy season. Most students have no other option but to ride and hang either on the top load or behind the jeep just to get home.

To address these identified gaps, the Municipal Action Team of Mogpog initiated the School Jeepney Project of the community through Seed Capital Fund modality of SLP. The jeepney is now the school service of the students going to Butansapa National High School in the morning and afternoon. The jeepney driver passes another route from Balacanan to Buenavista and vice versa for additional income.

The jeepney costs PHP 350,000.00 in total. During the monitoring, the project earns an average income of PHP 8,000.00 in two months of operation. The project was able to employ a non-pantawid member as the regular driver with a monthly salary of not less than PHP 5,000.00. The parents and all the beneficiaries are thankful for granting this kind of livelihood that addresses the transportation problem of the community and also helps in ensuring the safety of their children.

Contributor:

Marieta J. Manzo, Project Development Officer II, Marinduque