Piston, LTFRB fail to reach agreement on franchise consolidation

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MANILA, Philippines — Jeepney drivers, operators holding transport strike and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) once again failed to reach an agreement on the December 31 deadline for the consolidation of traditional jeepneys.

This developed after Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operaytors Nationwide (Piston) president Mody Floranda and LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III held a dialogue amid an ongoing two-day nationwide strike by the transport group.

According to Floranda, the group bared its demands to the LTFRB, specifically about consolidating and the junking of the Dec. 31 deadline, but Guadiz responded that the decision is not for him to decide anymore.

“Sagot ni Guadiz ay wala na sa kaniya ‘yung authority kundi ay ang authority na raw po ay ang pagtanggal ng deadline ay na kay [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] dahil inannounce na ni [Marcos Jr.] na wala na raw extension ang programa ng modernization program,” said Floranda.

(Guadiz’s response is that the authority no longer rests with him, but rather with [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.], as [Marcos Jr.] has announced that there will be no extension to the modernization program deadline.)

Floranda and Guadiz were referring to Marcos’ recent declaration that the deadline for the consolidation of public utility vehicle operators will not be extended.

“Ang magsusuffer niyan hindi lang operator and driver kundi mismo ang ating mga mananakay at mamamayan,” said Floranda.

(The ones who will suffer from that are not just the operators and drivers but also our commuters and citizens themselves.)

Floranda pointed out that while the LTFRB claims there will be no phaseout of traditional jeepneys, there is still a condition that requires jeepneys to consolidate before they could operate in 2024.

“Ano ang mangyayari sa atin pagdating ng January, ang laging sagot ni Chair kailangan magconsolidate, kaya sabi pa rin natin kailangan pagaral ‘yung usapoin ng deadline, kung usapin ang consolidation bakit hindi pwedeng association?” said Floranda.

(What will happen to us come January, the constant response of the Chair is that consolidation is necessary. That’s why we still say that it’s important to study the matter of the deadline. If consolidation is the issue, why can’t an association be used?”)

Cooperatives, said Floranda, cause problems for drivers and operators, citing previous experiences by already consolidated jeepney drivers.

Floranda said Guadiz assured them that he will meet with Transportation Sec. Jaime Bautista and Marcos.

But he maintained that they will continue to camp in front of the LTFRB central office not until they are given something to hold on to.

“Ang sabi namin hindi kami aalis hangga’t wala kaming pinanghahawakan,” said Floranda.

(We said that we will not leave until we have something to hold on to.)

“Hindi matatapos ngayon ang pagkilos, ano man ang abutin bukas, [kami] ay maghahanda para sa mas malawak at mas malakas na pagkilos,” he added.

(Today’s action will not end now, whatever may be achieved tomorrow, [we] will prepare for a broader and stronger movement.)

LTFRB insists December 31 deadline ‘non-negotiable’

Meanwhile, the LTFRB in a separate statement said that the December 31 deadline for the consolidation of traditional jeepneys is still “non-negotiable.”

It also reiterated that there will be no jeepney phaseout as traditional jeepneys may operate so long as they join a cooperative and are road worthy.

READ: Piston threatens to camp out in front of LTFRB until demands met

Furthermore, the agency said it is already meeting with the Office of the Transportation Cooperatives, headed by chairperson Andy Ortega, to raise the problems jeepney drivers and operators faced after joining cooperatives.

READ: Piston to stage 2-day transport strike

“Hindi na po namin sila pinakiusapan na ‘wag ituloy bukas [ang strike], dahil maliwanag po sa’min na two days po iyon,” said LTFRB spokesperson Celine Pialago.

(We no longer pleaded with them to refrain from continuing the strike tomorrow because it is clear to us that it will only last for two days.)

Asked if the dialogue was successful, Pialago said that it is not for the agency to say so.