09/09/2026
๐ท๐พ๐ป๐ณ ๐๐ท๐ด ๐ถ๐พ๐
๐ด๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ด๐ฝ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ป๐ด: ๐ผ๐พ๐ณ๐ด๐๐ฝ๐ธ๐๐ฐ๐๐ธ๐พ๐ฝ ๐ฝ๐ด๐ด๐ณ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฑ๐ป๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ฝ๐
๐ด๐๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฝ๐, ๐ฝ๐พ๐ ๐ฑ๐๐ณ๐ถ๐ด๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐
The President declared in the SONA that public transport modernization will continue. But if we look at the proposed 2027 national budget, the governmentโs priorities tell a different story.
If modernization is truly a priority, then where is the budget?
As NCTU, we believe that modernization cannot simply mean replacing vehicles. It must also protect the livelihoods, rights, and future of transport workers, while ensuring affordable and reliable transportation for millions of commuters.
โ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ ๐ข๐ค๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ข๐๐จ๐ ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ข๐จ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ช๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ, ๐จ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐๐ก ๐จ๐ช๐๐จ๐๐๐๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ค๐ฃ๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จ. ๐๐ค๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ค๐๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎโ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ค๐จ๐ฉ๐จ.โ โ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐ผ๐๐๐ขโ ๐ฐ๐๐, ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐
We agree: Zero Corruption, NOT zero budget for public transportation.
The government cannot announce modernization in the SONA and then starve the very programs needed to make it work.
Modernization cannot simply mean replacing vehicles while leaving transport workers to shoulder the cost of transition and commuters to face higher fares and worsening services. A genuine modernization program must invest in the people who make public transportation work. It must include adequate service contracting, fuel and fare support, accessible financing, social protection, decent work, skills development, and meaningful participation of transport workers and commuters in shaping the transition.
When fuel prices and the cost of living continue to rise, cutting public transport support is not simply a budgetary decision. It directly affects the daily lives of millions of workers, students, families, drivers, and commuters.
For transport workers, modernization without adequate public investment can mean displacement, debt, and greater insecurity.
For commuters, it can mean higher fares, longer waiting times, and less accessible public transportation.
The DOTr has requested โฑ1.76 billion for the NCR Busway Project, โฑ5 billion for the Service Contracting Program, and โฑ5 billion for the Public Transport Fuel Subsidy Program. These are not unnecessary expenditures. They are investments in mobility, workers, commuters, and the economy.
Modernization should not be funded by making workers and commuters pay the price. We need a public transport modernization program that is publicly funded, worker-centered, commuter-focused, environmentally sustainable, and grounded in a genuine Just Transition.
The government has made a promise. Now, put that promise in the budget
Modernization must serve the peopleโnot make them pay for it.
