Manibela: 25,000 members to join 3-day transport strike

Transport group Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) said Saturday that they expect around 25,000 members to join their 3-day protest which will begin on Monday. 

"'Eto po kasing NCR (National Capital Region) ang pinaka concentration ng protesta at tigil pasada. Dito pa lang po hindi na bababa ng 25,000," said Manibela president Mar Valbuena in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB. 

(The NCR will be the concentration of the protests. Not less than 25,000 will join the rally.)

"Siguro dalwang lugar lang sa NCR ang hindi masyado maapektuhan tulad ng Makati at Mandaluyong," he added. 

(Maybe only two places in NCR that will not be affected too much, Makati and Mandaluyong.)

Valbuena, meanwhile, apologized to commuters who will be affected by the transport strike that will begin on Monday, June 10, 2024.

"Sa mga mahal naming mananakay, sana maunawaan ninyo na mahirap din eto. Hindi lang sa pagsakay ninyo, apektado yung kabuhayan din namin ng tatlong araw," Valbuena said.

(To our dear riders, I hope you understand. We will also be affected, our livelihood will also be affected for three days.)

He also called on his members to avoid any altercations with authorities during the rally. 

"Dinadasal natin yan, sinasabi natin sa ating mga miymebro na sana wag magkasakitan o anumang komosyon. Wag lang sana magmiula sa gobyerno yung pag-provioke," stressed the Manibela president. 

(We are praying for that, we reminded our members not to engage in any altercation. We just hope that the government will not provoke us.)

"Madaming beses na tayong tinatakot na tayo ay huhulihin... Kasi hindi po maiiwasan ipaglalaban eto kahit ano mang paraan."

(We have been threatened to be arrested many times, but it is inevitable for us to fight back in whatever manner.)

The transport strike is the group's protest against the apprehension of unconsolidated jeepneys.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has been apprehending unconsolidated public utility vehicles (PUVs) whose franchises were revoked after the April 30 deadline for consolidation expired.

LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III denied that the agency had agreed with Congress to allow unconsolidated jeepney drivers to register for the whole year.

The transport strike will be held from June 10-12, 2024. Manibela said that their members from Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Ilocos Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region are set to join the nationwide strike. 

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) earlier said it was not worried about the possible impact of the strike on public transportation.

“Sanay na po ang lahat ng agency. In fact, our commuters in Metro Manila sanay na po sa kanilang plano,” DoTr Undersecretary Ferdinand Ortega said.

(Government agencies and commuters in Metro Manila are already used to transport strikes.)

The consolidation of PUVs is part of the initial stage of the government's PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP), under which jeepney operators and drivers should consolidate into cooperatives or have their permits revoked.

Started in 2017, the PUVMP aims to replace jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution. —VAL, GMA Integrated News