MANIBELA shows 'stranded' passengers in Day 2 of transport strike

Transport group MANIBELA claimed that some commuters on Tuesday morning were "stranded" as the group held day 2 of its transport strike against the government’s modernization program.

In a Facebook post, MANIBELA posted photos of affected commuters in Quezon City and Pasig City. 

However, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that they did not get any report of any stranded passengers in the National Capital Region on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Andy Ortega said only a few drivers and operators participated in the rallies. 

“Yung mga pitong areas na na-report sa akin sa Alabang merong isang jeep nila, may 12 na nagra-rally. Sa PHILCOA, may 10 tao. Sa UP, zero. Sa Welcome, zero. Sa may Commonwealth, zero. Sa Aurora Boulevard, zero,” Ortega said.

(In the seven areas reported to me, in Alabang they have one jeep, 12 are rallying. In PHILCOA, there are 10 people. In UP, zero. In Welcome, zero. In Commonwealth, zero. In Aurora Boulevard, zero.)

“So basically, it is the same as yesterday, kakaunti lang po yung kasama nila sa rally (there are only a few people with them at the rally),” he added.

'Normal'

Asked about the commuters who waited up to two hours to get a ride on the first day of the transport strike, Ortega pointed out that it was “normal” because it was a Monday and because of rush hour.

“Kahapon was a Monday and rush hour talagang normal naman po namedyo pahirapan ang pagsakay po pero tinugunan naman po yan,” he said.

(Yesterday was a Monday and rush hour, it's really normal that booking a ride is difficult, but that was addressed.)

“Kahapon po, the MMDA was able to deploy less than five na sasakyan po nilapara tumulong sa nasasabi po nating medyo na-stranded,” he added.

(Yesterday, the MMDA was able to deploy less than five vehicles to help those who are said to be somewhat stranded.)

TRO

Included in the ongoing transport strike is transport group PISTON, which asked the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to act on its December 2023 petition for a temporary restraining order against the public transport modernization program (PTMP).

In a six-page motion, PISTON asked the Court to resolve its petition “to prevent grave and irreparable injury on the part of the petitioners, the other operators and drivers, the commuters, and all their families and the public in general.”

“Naghain po kami ng motion to resolve. Hinahamon po namin ang SC na pagpasyahan na ang aming aplikasyon para sa TRO o kaya preliminary injunction,” PISTON’s legal counsel, Atty. Kristina Conti, said.

(We filed a motion to resolve. We are calling on the SC to decide on our application for a TRO or preliminary injunction.)

“Matagal na rin po ito eh, finile namin nung nakaraang taon (This has been pending for a long time, we filed this last year),” she added.

Ortega said they will just wait for the decision of the SC.

Demands

PISTON earlier said the protest action aims to address the following demands of the transport sector:

• Junking of the PTMP
• Cancellation of forced franchise consolidation
• Renewal of franchises and registrations for all public utility vehicle (PUV) operators, including those who choose not to consolidate
• Zero budget for PUV phaseout programs, with funding redirected towards the rehabilitation of traditional jeepneys and subsidies for local industries
• Allowing those who have entered franchise consolidation to withdraw

The PTMP — previously called Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) — started in 2017 to replace jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution. It also aims to replace units that are no longer considered roadworthy. 

A modern jeepney unit costs over P2 million, an amount that even state-run banks LandBank and Development Bank of the Philippines said was too expensive for PUV drivers and operators.

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations is the initial stage of the modernization program.

Initially, the LTFRB said that PUVs that did not consolidate after the April 30 deadline would be deemed as “colorum” or a PUV operating without a franchise.

Around 81.11% or 155,513 of 191,730 PUV units have been consolidated as of May, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

A total of 36,217 PUVs remained unconsolidated.

For routes, 74.32% or 7,077 of 9,522 have been consolidated while 2,445 routes remained unconsolidated, the DOTr said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News