MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) announced yet another nationwide strike from April 29 to May 1 in protest of the April 30 franchise consolidation deadline.
“Sa pagsasawalang-bahala ng rehimeng Marcos sa matagal nang panawagan ng mga tsuper at operator na ibasura ang sapilitang franchise consolidation, tahasang niyang nilalagay sa alanganin ang aming mga kabuhayan,” said Piston Deputy Secretary General Ruben Baylon, as quoted in a statement on Saturday.
(In the recklessness of the Marcos regime towards the long-standing demand of drivers and operators to junk the forced franchise consolidation, he directly puts our livelihoods in jeopardy.)
READ: Marcos moves PUV consolidation deadline to April 30, 2024
“Pagsapit pa talaga ng Mayo Uno, kung kailan dapat ginugunita at binibigyang-halaga ng pamahalaan ang ambag ng mga manggagawa sa pagpapaunlad ng lipunan, tsaka mawawalan ng kabuhayan ang mga tsuper at operator at magdurusa ang milyon-milyon pang manggagawa sa paglala ng sistema ng transportasyon sa bansa,” added Baylon.
(On May 1, when the government should be commemorating and recognizing the contribution of workers to the development of society, the livelihoods of drivers and operators will instead be lost, and millions of other workers will suffer due to the worsening transportation system in the country.)
READ: Groups to hold transport strikes over non-extension of franchise merging
Last April 15, Piston and another transport group, Manibela, also held a two-day strike against the franchise consolidation deadline under the public utility vehicle modernization program.
This was despite President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s earlier pronouncement that the end-of-the-month deadline would no longer be extended.