Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 15)—The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) will hold a nationwide strike next week to protest the franchise consolidation deadline of the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
The transport group said on Wednesday that the strike is set for Nov. 20 to 22 after the government rejected its request to remove the Dec. 31 deadline to consolidate franchises — the first component of the modernization plan that would eventually phase out traditional jeepneys.
Mody Floranda, national president of PISTON, said their appeals to also suspend the entire program were not met following the recent proposed amendments to the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG).
PISTON said franchise consolidation deadline is a “scheme” that may result in monopoly of few big fleet managers or corporations who have the capacity to capitalize and sell modernized vehicles in the country.
It added that these few corporate entities will focus on market control and will “effectively strip small-time operators of their democratic control over their vehicles and livelihoods.”
“Ang isang tinatamaan diyan ay hindi lang ang mga transportasyon kundi ang mga mamamayan, kasi ang kaakibat niyan ay ang pagtaas ng pamasahe, pagtaas ng mga bilihin,” Floranda told a press briefing.
[Translation: The modernization program will not only affect the transportation sector but also ordinary citizens, because it will lead to higher fares and prices of goods.]
“As around 80 percent of all jeepney operators in the country only own one jeepney, the majority of jeepney operators are at risk of being displaced,” PISTON said in a separate statement.
The group also urged the government to remove the franchise consolidation requirement for those who have already bought modernized jeepneys and let them withdraw their individual franchises.
It added that the government should also restore the five-year franchise of all PUVs and their routes, provide immediate financial aid to affected drivers and operators, acknowledge their freedom to form associations and hold strikes, and not “overly rely” on imported vehicles.
For its part, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday said it will discuss the impact of the transport strike.
Based on its data, about 120,023 units are yet to be modernized including PUVs.
“As of today, there are a total of 129,568 consolidated units for PUJs, UV Express, Mini Bus, and PUBs representing 65.03% of overall authorized units.The remaining 34.97% consists of 69,665 individual franchise holders,” LTFRB Spokesperson Celine Pialago said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the regulatory board said it remains firm on the Dec. 31, 2023 deadline.
It said the program intends to modernize all consolidated units and additional units that will be decided by the “route rationalization exercise in the next 10 years.”
CNN Philippines correspondent Rex Remitio contributed to this story.
