LTFRB: PISTON, MANIBELA strike did not disrupt public transport

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday said it did not monitor any disruption in public transportation amid the ongoing nationwide strike against the government's public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).

According to Joseph Morong’s report on 24 Oras, the LTFRB said it did not deploy its units for free ride service to assist affected passengers.

“Kung sapat na yung naka-consolidate, bakit kailangan magsuspinde ng klase, bakit kailangang mag-augment at magbigay ng libreng sakay?” said MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena.

(If the number of consolidated units is enough then why suspend classes? Why offer free ride service?)

The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon or MANIBELA started its two-day transportation strike on April 15 to oppose the April 30 deadline for the consolidation of jeepney drivers and operators under the PUVMP.

Some of the protesters and police members had a standoff in Quezon City as authorities closed the northbound and southbound lanes of East Avenue to block the rallying jeepney drivers in front of the LTFRB main office.

The transport groups also staged a rally in parts of Cebu.

“Bago mag-May 1 asahan po natin na mas marami pang kilos-protesta,” said Valbuena.

(Expect more protests before May 1.)

The protesters are expected to proceed to Mendiola in Manila on the second day of the transport strike,

Meanwhile,  LTFRB said Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said they will issue a show-cause order to jeepney units that will be apprehended after the April 30 deadline.

“We will give them a show-cause para maisaad nila ang dahilan bakit di sila sumama sa programa ng gobyerno but on the first day po, pag walang mapakitang consolidation papers na in-issue ng LTFRB, we can immediately apprehend them,” said Guadiz.

(We will give them a show-cause to allow them to explain why they did not join the program. But on the first day, if they do not have any documents for the consolidation, then we can immediately apprehend them.)

Jeepney drivers and operators are required to join or form cooperatives under the PUVMP, which aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles powered by more environment-friendly fuels. Operators and drivers can apply for new franchises but only as part of transport cooperatives.

Latest data from the LTFRB showed that 77% of jeepneys nationwide and 52% in Metro Manila have consolidated.

In January, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the Department of Transportation (DoTr)’s recommendation to extend the deadline to join or put up transportation cooperatives or corporations until April 30.

The DoTr said it will no longer recommend an extension of the application for consolidation of individual PUV operators to form transportation cooperatives or corporations once the deadline lapses.—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News