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Transport groups start two-day strike to oppose PUV modernization
Two transport groups staged a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the government's public utility vehicle modernization program.
Members of the two groups — the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon or MANIBELA gathered in some areas and held protest actions.
At the Baclaran jeepney station in Parañaque, drivers plying the Baclaran-Divisoria route and vice versa who are PISTON members stayed put at the terminal.
They held signs saying "No to PUV phaseout", "Gusto namin ng national industrialization" and "Ibalik ang limang taong prangkisa hindi Cha-cha."
PISTON and MANIBELA on Thursday announced that they would hold a two-day nationwide transport strike from April 15 to 16 amid the looming April 30 deadline for consolidation of PUV franchises.
MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena said they expect some 30,000 jeepney drivers to join the protest in the the National Capital Region and at least 100,000 others to join nationwide.
However, some jeepney drivers and operators did not take part in Monday's strike.
On Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, there were a few traditional jeepneys still servicing commuters, according to a report by Bam Alegre on Unang Balita.
Most of the PUVs however were buses which were already mostly full.
This has caused inconvenience to some commuters who allotted more time to get rides in anticipation of the transport strike.
No commuters were stranded so far however as of past 7 a.m.
Other transport groups such as the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) said they will not join the strike.
In Isabela, jeepney drivers continued plying their routes, according to a separate report on Unang Balita based on information gathered by GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon.
The One Pangasinan Transport Federation said it will not participate in the strike since 95% of the 500 jeepney units of their members had their franchises already consolidated.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region III said no transport group in Pampanga will join the two-day strike.
However, the local government unit of Mabalacat, Pampanga said it was ready to provide free rides in case needed.
In Bicol and in Iloilo City, jeepney trips continued.
The situation was normal in Bacolod City although there is a planned noise barrage and candle lighting to call for the return of the five-year validity of PUV franchises.
In Cebu, there was no transport strike but PISTON said it will hold a protest rally along three major routes.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB Region X said there is a big chance that PUV drivers and operators in Northern Mindanao will not join the strike since 90% of the franchise units were already consolidated.
Rescue buses
LTFRB Chairman Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III said that the agency's rescue buses are on standby.
"As early as 5:00 ay naka-monitor na kami sa mga critical areas. Tila dire-diretso at normal po ang takbo ng mga sasakyan. Wala naman kaming nakita na merong strike na nangyayari sa mga daan natin," Guadiz said on Unang Balita past 7 a.m.
(As early as 5:00 we are already monitoring critical areas. It seems the situation is normal. We did not see any strike.)
"As of this time pa ho [libreng sakay], wala pa ho pero naka-ready na ang rescue buses namin. So anytime na magkaroon ng problema po, nandiyan ang mga rescue buses para umalalay po," he added.
(As of this time there are no free rides yet, but our rescue buses are ready to be deployed. So anytime that a problem comes up, our rescue buses will be deployed to service commuters.)
Guadiz said the Philippine National Police will help maintain peace and order amid the strike.
The LTFRB chairman also said his office is open to protesting groups so they could discuss the PUV modernization program.
Guadiz also reminded the protesters that the franchise is owned by the government and just bestows the privilege of using the franchise to those who are qualified.
He also reiterated that April 30 is the deadline for PUV consolidation. However, jeepney drivers and operators will still have three years to use their old units after consolidation before they will have to use the modern jeepney.
Guadiz also said he is confident that on May 1, there will not be a problem even if some PUVs are not yet consolidated since there are other public transportation vehicles available such as buses and tricycles. —KG, GMA Integrated News
