Piston to join Manibela’s transport protest vs franchise consolidation

A member of the transport group Piston joins the jeepney strike at Monumento in Caloocan city. (File photo from NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Piston will join the protest of another transport organization Manibela on Tuesday, January 16.

They are both urging Supreme Court to expedite the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Isa itong caravan [at] martsa-rally papuntang Korte Suprema kaugnay doon sa hinihintay nating TRO na fi-nayl natin noong December 20, na hanggang sa ngayon ay wala pa ring konkretong sagot ang DOTr [Department of Transportation],” Piston’s President Mody Floranda told INQUIRER.net.

(This is a caravan [and] a march towards Supreme Court in relation to the TRO we are waiting for, the petition for this we filed on December 20 to which, until today, DOTr has yet to respond to.)

Piston previously filed a petition with the High Court, urging it to issue a TRO or a writ of preliminary injunction.

The order will prevent DOTr and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from implementing several provisions of modernization scheme.

Piston said DOTr’s PUVMP is unconstitutional as it allegedly violates the right to freedom of association.

The group assailed the mandatory franchise consolidation of the program that orders individual operators to surrender their franchises, and merge with other PUV operators to form a single corporation or cooperative.

Piston had also filed a supplemental motion asking Supreme Court to speed up its decision on LTFRB’s plan to bar non-consolidated PUVs from ferrying commuters after the consolidation deadline.

As a reaction, Supreme Court had directed DOTr and LTFRB to comment on Piston’s plea.

LTFRB previously issued a directive which allowed non-consolidated PUVs to continue their operations in selected routes in National Capital Region until January 31.

The date translates to a one-month extension after the expiration of the initial deadline for the application of franchise consolidation.

The agency cited low consolidation rates in Metro Manila as the reason for prolonging the deadline.

As the new cutoff point approaches, Piston hopes Supreme Court will issue a resolution that will favor the transport workers.

“Tayo ay umaasa na tayo ay kakatigan ng Korte Suprema,” Floranda said.

(We are hoping Supreme Court will side with us.)

For their part, DOTr and its attached agencies LTFRB and Office of Transportation Cooperatives believe modern PUVs will be more “environment-friendly” and “efficient.”