Manibela sets 3-day transport strike on Aug. 14-16

Transport group Manibela will stage a transport strike from August 14 to 16, after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rejected the Senate resolution for the suspension of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Sa susunod na linggo, magkakasa kami ng mga kilos protesta o kung hindi man, mga transport strike simula sa Miyerkules, Huwebes, at Biyernes sa susunod na linggo,” Manibela head Mar Valbuena said in a press conference on Thursday.

(Next week, we will have protests or transport strikes starting Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next week.)

“Hindi po kami nananakot. Sa susunod na Miyerkules kung wala pong malinaw na direktiba galing Malacañang, [Department of Transportation], o Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] kung papaano itong minorya na natitira, strike po kami,” he added.

(We are not threatening. Next Wednesday if there is no clear directive from Malacañang, DOTr, or LTFRB on what to do with this remaining minority, we will have a strike.)

Valbuena said Marcos did not address the specific concerns of the senators who called for the suspension of the PUVMP, now called the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

“Dahil yung sinabi po ninyo kahapon, naka-hang po kami lahat sa ere. Ang malinaw tuloy-tuloy, pero ang guidelines hindi pa rin malinaw kung paano ipapatupad nang mas maayos ang PUVMP,” Valbuena said.

(What you said yesterday left us hanging. What is clear is that PUVMP will continue, but the guidelines are still not clear on how to implement it properly.)

Marcos on Wednesday maintained his support to PUVMP/PTMP despite the Senate resolution calling for its suspension.

Proposed Senate Resolution 1096, signed by 22 of the 23 senators, urged the government to temporarily suspend the implementation of the transport modernization program.

The lawmakers cited concerns on the high number of unconsolidated PUV units, phaseout of the iconic jeepney design "in favor of so-called modern jeepneys," low percentage of approved routes, among others.

Started in 2017, the PUVMP aims 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 had said that PUVs that did not consolidate after the April 30 deadline would be deemed as “colorum” or a PUV operating without a franchise.

However, LTFRB has allowed unconsolidated jeepneys and UV Express vehicles to operate in over 2,500 routes with a low number of consolidations.

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. —KBK, GMA Integrated News