Transport strike on Monday

THE transport group Manibela remained adamant that they will conduct an “indefinite” transport strike beginning Monday, October 16.

That is unless their call for the suspension of the jeepney modernization program and the extension of the validity of their franchises had been given.

“Monday ang simula kasi may protestang mangyayari. So yung tigil-pasada po, dire-diretso po ito. Kung hanggang saan aabutin yung aming sikmura ng gutom,” Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena said.

“Pwede po mangyari na buong linggo talaga. Yun po kasi ang originally na gusto naming gawin, isang linggo talaga na tigil-pasada, isang linggong tigil-pasada at yung protesta po magdidire-diretso depende po sa mapag-uusapan uli namin bukas dahil bukas malaking pagpupulong uli namin,” he added.

Valbuena also said that the jeepney drivers that are using the 600 of the 785 routes in Metro Manila will participate in Monday’s transport strike..

He added that some 1,000 vehicles will be at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office along East Avenue, both in Quezon City, before they head to Mendiola, Manila for their protest.

They have been calling President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to suspend the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVPM).

The modernization program will supposedly lead to the phase-out of hundreds of thousands of traditional jeepneys nationwide. 

According to Valbuena so far by their count, there are 300,000 traditional jeepneys nationwide while only 7,000 are modernized.

But the government can only provide subsidies that would modernize 1,000 jeepneys a year.