Some public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers and operators in Cagayan de Oro are in favor of a planned transport strike to oppose the deadline of the consolidation of PUJ franchises.

Transport groups Piston and Manibela are planning to hold a nationwide transport strike between April 15 to 19, 2024 to oppose the deadline of franchise consolidation for traditional jeepneys, which is set on April 30, 2024.

Some drivers and operators of traditional jeepneys in Cagayan de Oro said they are not against the government’s PUV modernization program, but they opposed the move to place the PUJs under a cooperative.

“Kung naa nata sa coop alanganin gihapon dili man gyud na malikayan na ang coop himuon rata pangwartahan mga operator maayo gyud tong sarili gyud,” PUJ driver, Jimuel Castro, said.

“Pabor gihapon ko ana basta tanan lang gyud para sa kaayuhan namo mga driver,” another driver, Jun Hagos, added.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10), said it is confident that drivers and operators will not join the transport strike as more than 90 percent of PUJs and PUVs franchises in the region have already been consolidated, based on its monitoring.

However, the office has prepared mitigating measures if there are routes that will be affected.

“Meron tayong hinahanda na mitigating measures tulad halimbawa ng paghahanda ng mga sasakyan kung may mamonitor tayo na affected na route,” LTFRB-10 Director, Abosamen Hassan Matuan, said.

In Zamboanga City, several drivers and operators are in favor of the PUV modernization program.

According to one of the biggest transport groups in the city, between 72 percent to 85 percent of their members have consolidated their franchises even before the Aril 30, 2024 deadline announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“So far, no comment sa ta regarding sa strike sa Monday kay we have also to consult our members plus ang atung mga riding public, dili mi ganahan nga as early as now magkaproblema na ta,” Feltranz President, Eduardo Mingala, said.

The LTFRB-9 has yet to respond when asked by GMA Regional TV One Mindanao if there are transport groups in the city that expressed intention to join the transport strike.

(With reports from Efren Mamac, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao