Piston to continue December 14 strike following BBM’s ‘no extension’ order

Members of Piston hold a rally in front of the Central Visayas office of the Land Transportation Office along Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City. The strike crippled transportation in Cebu and Mandaue cities. (File photo dated June 19, 2014 from CARINE ASUTILLA, INQUIRER Visayas)

MANILA, Philippines — The transport strike starting December 14 will push through despite President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ decision not to extend the deadline for the franchise consolidation application.

Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) made the statement on Tuesday.

In a message to reporters, Piston said the President’s decision only emboldened its members to go on with their protest.

“Dahil sa pahayag ni Marcos Jr., lalong lumakas ang dahilan para ituloy ang welga,” the group said.

(Because of Marcos Jr.’s announcement, the reason to continue the strike became stronger.)

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Marcos said he held a meeting with transport officials where they ultimately concluded not to stretch the deadline.

“Walang malinaw na batayan ang gobyerno para ipagpilitan ang deadline. Lalo lang nilang papatayin ang mamamayan,” Piston said.

(The government doesn’t have a clear basis to insist on the deadline. They’re only worsening the situation for the people.)

The transport group reiterated if the deadline will push through on December 31, up to 60,000 drivers and 25,000 operators in the National Capital Region alone will lose their jobs.

“Palpak ang gobyerno sa buong plano nito sa modernisasyon kaya dinadaan na lang nila sa pwersahan,” the group said.

(The government’s entire plan for modernization is flawed, so it is resorting to forcing it through.)

Piston called on jeepney drivers and operators to join its cause.

On Monday, it announced it would hold a transport strike to urge the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board to scrap the deadline for the application of franchise consolidation.

However, transport groups under the United Transport Consolidated Entities of the Philippines have instead expressed support for fully implementing the Public Utility Vehicles Modernization Program.

They also back the enforcement of the franchise consolidation deadline.

Piston’s strike was initially scheduled to end on December 15.

But Piston national president Mody Floranda told INQUIRER.net that its duration would depend on whether or not LTFRB would heed its plea.

On December 7, Secretary Jaime Bautista affirmed in a Radyo Singko interview that the Department of Transportation maintains the deadline by year’s end.