Transport groups start two-day strike to oppose PUV modernization

Two transport groups staged a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program.

Members of the two groups — the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon or MANIBELA gathered in some areas and held protest actions.

At the Baclaran jeepney station in Parañaque, drivers plying the Baclaran-Divisoria route and vice versa who are PISTON members stayed put at the terminal.

They held signs saying “No to PUV phaseout”, “Gusto namin ng national industrialization” and “Ibalik ang limang taong prangkisa hindi Cha-cha.”

PISTON and MANIBELA on Thursday announced that they would hold a two-day nationwide transport strike from April 15 to 16 amid the looming April 30 deadline for consolidation of PUV franchises.

MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena said they expect some 30,000 jeepney drivers to join the protest in the the National Capital Region and at least 100,000 others to join nationwide. 

However, some jeepney drivers and operators did not take part in Monday’s strike.

On Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, there were a few traditional jeepneys still servicing commuters, according to a report by Bam Alegre on Unang Balita.

Most of the PUVs however were buses which were already mostly full.

This has caused inconvenience to some commuters who allotted more time to get rides in anticipation of the transport strike.

No commuters were stranded so far however as of past 7 a.m. —KG, GMA Integrated News