Displaced or marginalized Makati City jeepney drivers can somehow thank their lucky stars for one more life-saving opportunity. Their skills and services have been tapped for a variation of the rolling public market concept introduced and put to action by notable mayors in the National Capital Region.
Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay has bared plans for a fleet of rolling school supplies and educational materials store to service a little over 2 dozen Makati city communities, And owners and operators of public transport jeepneys that have been among the hardest-hit segments in the city have been mercifully designated and tasked to customize their jeepneys for the program which kicks off in October.
Under the Dyipni Maki mobile learning hub project, designated jeepneys will be re-configured and customized, equipped with laptops and online connectivity as well as books and traditional learning materials which school kid’s parents and guardians can avail of. These reconstituted vehicles will also be venues for reading and studying, book donation campaigns and other special projects.
Per Makati CIty DepEd’s School’s Division Sujperintendent Rita Riddle, the City will pay each driver 2,000 a thousand a day for his/her services. Some 54 teachers are to be recruited, each of whom will be paid 20 thousand a month for their services.
“Our initial target is 27 drivers hired. The number may still increase because the jeepney federation is proposing to do a rotation among its member-drivers. We are looking at 100 drivers per week eventually,” she imparted.
“We are glad that we have come up with this project that addresses multiple issues simultaneously. Not only will it help students and their parents cope with the new ‘blended learning’ approach in education, [it] will also provide much-needed employment to Makatizens,” Mayor Abigail Binay stated.
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