2-day jeepney strike may still be called off

The militant transport group Piston will decide today whether to push through with another two-day strike nationwide against the government plan to phase out aging jeepneys for more environment-friendly models, its leader said on Saturday.

Piston national president George San Mateo acknowledged the call made by Sen. Grace Poe for the group to cancel the protest action planned for Dec. 4 and 5, which can paralyze many areas in Metro Manila and other urban centers.

“We’re still studying her appeal” to call off the strike, San Mateo said.

Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, invited Piston to a hearing on Thursday regarding their concerns over the jeepney “modernization” program.

“Certain issues in the modernization program still need to be carefully studied and threshed out with the concerned government agencies…We also want to hear the alternative proposals from different stakeholders,” the lawmaker said.

At least three local government units at press time had declared the suspension of classes in their respective areas in view of the planned strike.

The provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur called off classes in all levels in both private and public schools on Monday, while Guagua town in Pampanga suspended classes on Monday and Tuesday.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board earlier said it would not make a recommendation for Malacañang to suspend classes because of the strike. —Reports from Jovic Yee and Jocelyn R. Uy