Piston and Manibela protest in front of Supreme Court

Transport groups Piston and Manibela hold a picket protest in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. They are calling for the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the public utility vehicle modernization program. (Photos courtesy of Piston Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Members of transport groups Piston and Manibela staged a picket protest in front of the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday to reiterate their call for the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the public utility vehicle modernization program.

The protest was also in time for the SC’s en banc session.

READ: 4 transport groups go to SC to support PUV modernization

“Ngayong araw, muli tayong sumugod sa Korte Suprema kasabay ng en banc session nito upang muling ipanawagan sa hudikatura na pumanig sa mamamayan at agarang maglabas ng TRO laban sa sapilitang franchise consolidation at PUV modernization program,” Piston said in a Facebook post.

(Today, we once again marched to the Supreme Court, simultaneous with its en banc session, to reiterate our call to the judiciary to side with the citizens and promptly issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the forced franchise consolidation and Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program.)

“Kung hindi tayo kikilos ngayon, nakaambang magdulot ang rehimeng Marcos ng malawakang transport disaster pagsapit ng Peb 1,” it added.

(If we don’t take action now, the Marcos regime is poised to bring about a widespread transport disaster come February 1.)

Manibela President Mar Valbuena, in a radio interview on the same day, urged the government to help workers in the transportation sector not lose their jobs.

“Itong gobyerno natin dapat pangalagaan niya yung mamamayan niya na huwag mawalan ng hanapbuhay,” he said over Radyo 630.

(Our government should prioritize taking care of its citizens to ensure they do not lose their livelihoods.)

Meanwhile, Piston’s President, Mody Floranda, said on Monday that the livelihood assistance program for transport workers affected by the modernization program is poorly implemented.

“Imbis na ihinto ang programa para walang maapektuhan, nagkukumahog pa maghanap ng pondo para sa sa ayuda ‘diumano at para sa mga impounding. Eh, ‘di aminado silang pumapalpak sila,” Floranda said in a statement.

(Instead of stopping the program to prevent negative effects, they are scrambling to find funds for supposed assistance and impounding. Well, it seems they are admitting that they are failing in their efforts.)