Palace assures public: Gov’t ready for planned transport strike next week

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (MALACAÑANG FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday assured the public that the government had prepared several contingencies to help commuters who will be affected by the weeklong transport strike next week.

This even as Malacañang claimed that 94% of jeepney drivers were not participating in the strike to protest the impending phaseout of traditional jeepneys in line with the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) program.

“During the Inter-Agency meeting presided by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra Friday, various concerned government agencies came out with contingencies to lessen the effects of the transport group strike that will start on March 6, a Monday,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

According to the PCO, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said only about 6% of the PUV nationwide are expected to join the transport strike.

Among the efforts of the government are the deployment of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel to monitor the situation on the ground as well as maintain peace and order in the affected areas and routes.

The PCO said the PNP has also been instructed to mobilize its regional assets to assist those affected by the transport strike, deploying at least 41 transport vehicles to ferry commuters to their destinations.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will give concerned agencies, such as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the PNP, a command center that shall help facilitate the monitoring of the status of traffic in the areas affected by the strike.

The MMDA, PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which will also be mobilizing around 106 of its transport vehicles to help commuters, will coordinate with each other to monitor the situation on the ground.

The PCO said the MMDA and the DOTr will also be closely coordinating for the possible suspension of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila during the strike.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier asked transport groups to reconsider their planned week-long strike, saying many commuters would be affected and suffer.

He assured them the government’s PUV modernization program would be further studied and tweaked.

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JPV