Group to hold transport protest on Jan. 16 vs PUV franchise consolidation

HEAR US Public utility vehicle drivers use a jeepney as a platform to air their grievances against government’s transportation agencies and officials during the strike led by the group Manibela in October 2023. (INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON)

MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Manibela will again hold a protest on January 16 (Tuesday) to protest government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program.

Manibela President Mar Valbuena said the protest will start at 9 a.m.

The demonstration will involve other groups from across the country who will march from Diliman in Quezon city to Mendiola in Manila.

“Hindi bababa ng 15,000 [katao] ang magmamartsa papuntang Mendiola. Nationwide po – lahat po ng napilitan lamang at hindi pa nagco-consolidate,” Valbuena said on Sunday.

(Not less than 15,000 persons will march towards Mendiola. This is nationwide – those who were forced to and are yet to consolidate their franchises.)

Following his announcement, Valbuena condemned the modernization program anew.

He said it will result in job displacements, affecting thousands of transport workers in National Capital Region (NCR) alone.

“Iyong mga hindi po nag-consolidate [na unit], aabot po talaga ito ng 30,000. Dito pa lamang po sa NCR iyan,” he said at the sidelines of Kapihan press forum in Quezon city.

(Those [units] which did not consolidate will reach around 30,000. That’s just here in NCR alone.)

It also joined the another protest led by transport group Piston on December 31, the deadline for the application of franchise consolidation among PUVs.

Valbuena said while commuters may be getting tired of the relentless protests, Manibela cannot simply stay quiet amid the alleged negative effects of the modernization program on the transport sector.

“Hindi po natin masisisi ang ating taumbayan, pero mas hindi ko po masisisi ang mga kakalam ang sikmura na mga drivers at operators na mawawalan ng hanapbuhay,” he stressed.

(I cannot blame the people, but I especially cannot blame the drivers and operators who will go hungry when they lose their livelihood.)

Manibela’s leader is still calling on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to reconsider his stance on PUVMP.

“Gusto pa rin nating ipanawagan sa Pangulo ang pagbalik doon sa mga ni-revoke na prangkisa ng ating mga kasamahan, lalo na po sa hanay ng mga operator,” Valbuena said.

(We still want to call on the President to return the revoked franchises of our comrades, especially among the ranks of operators.)

On Thursday, LTFRB said unconsolidated PUV operators who failed to join existing cooperatives or corporations will be tagged as “colorum” after January 31.