Metro Manila, Philippines – A transport group warned of a transport strike next week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected the Senate’s call to suspend the Public Transport Modernization Program.
In a press briefing, Manibela Chairman Mar Valbuena said the group will hold the protest on Aug. 14-16 and even beyond should there be no clear directives for drivers without consolidated franchises.
“Sana naman magkaroon ng totoong diyalogo sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at stakeholders katulad ng tsuper, operator, at totoong mananakay,” he said.
[Translation: I hope there will be a true dialogue between the government and stakeholders like drivers, operators, and passengers.]
In a chance interview with reporters on Wednesday, Marcos turned down a Senate resolution seeking a temporary suspension of the modernization program.
He said 80 percent of public utility vehicles have complied with franchise consolidation, which is the initial step of the program. Marcos said the remaining 20 percent cannot decide on their fate.
Valbuena raised a point to the president regarding the resolution. “Hindi niyo nabasa ang laman ng Senate resolution. Dahil iyong sinabi niyo po niyo kahapon, naka-hang kami sa ere. Ang malinaw lang tuloy-tuloy, pero iyong guidelines hindi pa rin malinaw,” he said. [Translation: You didn’t read the Senate resolution. You kept us hanging with what you said. The only clear thing you said was that modernization will push through. But there are no clear guidelines.]
READ: ‘Don’t leave us behind’: Jeepney drivers tell Marcos ahead of SONA
Valbuena said his group is not against those who complied with the program, though he voiced an appeal to them. “Huwag niyo kaming idamay sa inyong pagkalugi… Mag-iisip po kayo. Hindi po kami dahilan ng hindi pag-usad ng modernisasyon,” he said.[Translation: Don’t involve us in your losses… Please think carefully. We are not the reason why the modernization program is stagnant.]
On Monday, pro-jeepney modernization groups held a unity walk from Quezon City to Mendiola in Manila to protest the senate’s call to suspend the implementation of the modernization plan.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz joined the protest and said transport modernization will proceed.
The deadline for franchise consolidation lapsed on April 30 after it was extended several times. Unconsolidated jeepney units have been deemed colorum or illegal since then. The LTFRB has allowed some of these vehicles to be on the road on routes with low consolidation rate.
