Piston to wage more strikes if gov’t pushes with ‘unjust’ upgrading plan

Driver in protest. PISTON launched its second day of nationwide transportation strike on Tuesday, October 17 , and warned of more strikes should government push through with its “unjust” jeepney modernization plan. (INQUIRER.net / Jhoanna Ballaran)

Transport groups led by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) launched the second day of its nationwide transport strike on Tuesday to oppose the looming jeepney modernization plan.

Protesting jeepney drivers and operators joined the protest despite Malacañang’s declaration that their Monday strike “barely” affected commuters.

Piston national president George San Mateo said that about 225,000 of the 250,000 franchised jeepneys joined their first day of strike.

“Hindi kami natatalo e, kasi kansela ng kansela ‘yung Malacanang ng klase at opisina e, at problema ng gobyerno ‘yun, di namin problema ‘yun,” San Mateo told reporters in an interview at the protest center in Cubao, Quezon City.

(We’re not losing because Malacañang has been cancelling work and classes, and it’s the government’s problem, not ours.)

San Mateo clarified that they are not against modernization, but are against the “unjust” plan that would drive about 600,000 jeepney drivers and 300,000 operators to unemployment once the plan takes place.

As the government asserted that the jeepney modernization plan would push through despite the opposition, San Mateo warned that more transportation strikes would take place.

“Kung itutuloy lang nila yan, e di itutuloy lang din namin strike namin. Wala kaming choice e,” he said.

(If they will continue the plan, then we will also continue our strike. We have no choice.)  /kga

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