STUDENT-artists from the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) held an online charity exhibit to help raise funds for displaced jeepney drivers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Titled ‘Para po! Sa inyo’ (PPSI), the gallery features portraits sketched by students to help raise funds for jeepney drivers who faced financial woes and the looming jeepney modernization program of the government.

As posted on its Facebook page, the exhibit was meant for jeepney drivers who were ‘a great part in our daily lives’ and ‘to give something in return for their hard work.’

“Jeepney drivers have been worrying and continuously seeking for any kind of help to aid their families’ needs since the government did not give a clear timeline as to when they can resume their operations, and they plan to phase out the traditional jeepneys and replace them with modernized ones. These people are in extreme need of help for their everyday needs,” the PPSI said.

PPSI also said 60 percent of the artworks’ profit will go directly to the drivers.

The price of the artworks varies from P1,000 to P10,000, with some of them already reserved or sold.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for COVID-19 has yet to give the go signal for traditional jeepney drivers to take their regular route as measure “to contain the virus”.