TNVS drivers, operators urged to go online, accommodate rides to show ‘good faith’

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Drivers and operators of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) participating in the “transport holiday” were urged to go online and accommodate rides on Monday.

This is to show “good faith” as the government has opened a dialogue to hear their concerns, according to Civil Service Commissioner (CSC) Aileen Lizada, a former board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“Mayroon ho tayong give and take sa dialogue. Ako naman ho ang aking request (We have a give and take dialogue. That’s my request), and I’m sure DTI (Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Authority) and DOTr (Department of Transportation) join me in this,” Lizada said in a press conference here.

“Baka pwede after nitong dialogue, mag online na kayo para makasakay na po ‘yung ating ibang mananakay to show good faith on your end (I hope that after this dialogue, you go online so the public can get a ride and to show good faith on your end),” she added.

Drivers and operators are currently staging a “transport holiday” and they plan to temporarily stop operations and go offline from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. This serves as a protest against the LTFRB for its “inconsistent and problematic” policies.

READ: Brace for TNVS booking woes as drivers stage ‘transport holiday’

Around 30,000 drivers and operators were expected to join Monday’s “transport holiday,” according to Jun de Leon, chairman of the Metro Manila Hatchback Community.

De Leon said most of the participants in the transport holiday are drivers and operators who were deactivated from the service.

The TNVS community said they gave their drivers the freedom to the drivers whether they should participate in the protest or not.

“We give them the freedom kung gusto nila mag online at mag offline … kaya ang masasabi namin dito yung transport holiday, isa itong silent protest. It doesn’t mean na itinigil namin ang aming pagserbisyo sa mga riding public,” Saturnino Mopas, a representative of the TNVS, said in the press conference.

(We give them the freedom if they want to go online or offline…so we can say that this transport holiday is a silent protest. It doesn’t mean that we are going to stop services to the riding public.)

The TNVS community, however, will still push through with the transport holiday until their concerns are addressed.” Tuloy po (ang transport holiday), may vigil po dito hanggang alas siete (The transport holiday is on. We have a vigil here until 7:00 p.m.),” De Leon said. (Editor: Eden Estopace)