MANIBELA starts 3-day transport strike vs PUV modernization program

Transport group MANIBELA on Wednesday started its three-day strike to protest the government's PUV Modernization Program.

In a Facebook post, MANIBELA said some members of other transport groups Pasang Masda and Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) joined the strike.

“Karamihan ng miyembro ng Pasang Masda at Fejodap sumama na sa strike at caravan! (Most of the members of Pasang Masda and Fejodap have already joined the strike and caravan),” it said.

MANIBELA shared photos of some areas in Quezon City, Parañaque, Navotas, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas where the strike and rallies are being held.

The group thanked the motorists who were participating and sympathizing with the transport sector during the strike.

According to MANIBELA, the transport strike will last up to Friday.

Before this, other transport group PISTON also launched a transport strike from November 20 to 22. In the Camanava area alone, up to 10,000 jeepney drivers participated.

On Tuesday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said most of the major requests of PISTON regarding the PUV Modernization Program could be done.

LTFRB spokesperson Celine Pialago said the three demands that are doable are the waiving of penalty, extension of franchise of up to five years, and the relieving of some of the provisions of the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines.

“Doable ang tatlong ‘yun. Ang hindi lang doable ay ang pag-drop ng consolidation process. Pero ang kapalit naman no’n ay ang process can be simplified,” she said.

(Those three are doable. The only thing that is not doable is the dropping of the consolidation process. But the process can be simplified.) 

Around 70% of PUV operators have already complied with the modernization program, the LTFRB said.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News