MANILA, Philippines — With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspending work and classes in government offices and public schools in Metro Manila as a precautionary measure, the three-day transport strike planned on Monday has already become a success even before it begins — or so claimed transport group Manibela which organized the mass action.
“Last night, I was quite happy when [Memorandum Circular No. 25 on the suspension of work and classes] was released,” Manibela chair Mar Valbuena said on Sunday. “[It’s] already a success. [The] moment we were noticed, that’s a big [deal for us] because if you’re just a small group, …they might just ignore you.”
Malacañang made the announcement on Saturday, citing the planned mass action and inclement weather due to Severe Tropical Storm Egay (international name: Doksuri), which has become a typhoon since then.
Valbuena said his group never intended to paralyze public transport but just wanted a platform to make the government listen to their concerns about its public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
Concerns over routes
As part of that plan, drivers and operators should first form transport cooperatives or corporations to help manage the units regarding routes to be provided by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
As of June 30, some 64.09 percent of the transport sector nationwide had complied with this step, according to LTFRB Chair Teofilo Guadiz III. The deadline for consolidation is Dec. 31.
Valbuena, however, said that some jeepney drivers and operators were reluctant to comply since they believed this would lead to the monopolization of routes and higher fares.
They also complained about the government’s preference for awarding routes to corporations over them—an allegation denied by the Department of Transportation.
“We have submitted a complaint to the LTFRB with the evidence, yet there is still no response until now but to go head-to-head against us,” Valbuena said.
He claimed that since they staged another strike in March to protest the phaseout of traditional jeepneys, the group has not been invited to attend dialogues on the review of the 2017 Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, the framework for the modernization plan.
Valbuena said around 40,000 to 45,000 jeepney drivers were expected to join the strike, as Mr. Marcos is due to deliver his State of the Nation Address.
The government has downplayed the strike, with the LTFRB saying that Manibela did not have the capability to paralyze public transportation since only an “insignificant” 3 to 4 percent of jeepney drivers might take part.