MANILA, Philippines – Thousands of transport network vehicle services (TNVS) drivers staged a “transport holiday” Monday morning by suspending operations and going offline from their ride-sharing platforms starting 6 a.m. to protest government policies affecting their operations.
Drivers and operators trooped to the Quezon City Memorial Circle where they simultaneously went offline and staged a noise barrage.
Around 30,000 drivers are expected to join the transport holiday, Jun de Leon, chairman of the Metro Manila Hatchback Community, earlier said in a radio interview.
The transport holiday serves as a protest against the stringent, punishing policies of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The TNVS community is likewise protesting the refusal of the LTFRB to implement its Memorandum Circular 2018-005 which allows hatchbacks as TNVS units supposedly due to safety issues.
Drivers and operators will also hold a protest caravan and are also set to file a case against the LTFRB before the Office of the Ombudsman.
READ: Deactivated TNVS hatchback drivers to file charges vs LTFRB before Ombudsman
The protest action will be until 6 p.m.
The LTFRB has scheduled a dialogue with TNVS drivers and operators a day after the transport holiday, to address the issues raised. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)
READ: LTFRB sets dialogue with TNVS drivers, operators on July 9
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