By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Saying the government respects the decision of transport groups Samahang Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (MANIBELA) and Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor (PISTON), Department of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Roads Sector Andy Ortega on Saturday brushed off fears that the planned two-day strike will paralyze public transport.
PISTON and MANIBELA are poised to launch their nationwide transport strike on Monday (15 April 2024) as the April 30 deadline for the consolidation of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators is fast approaching.
“Those planning to rally or protest account for merely 5% of the entire transportation sector,” Ortega noted at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
The planned two-day transport strike by PISTON and MANIBELA was hatched after President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has announced that there would be no more extension of the application for consolidation of individual public utility vehicle (PUV) operators to form or join transportation cooperatives.
But the other transport groups will not join the two-day “tigil-pasada”.
Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) president Orlando Marquez revealed that 20 organizations, including LTOP, Pasangmasda, FEJODAP, Stop and Go Coalition, Federation of UV Express of the Philippines, and Taxi Operators Association of the Philippines will not join the looming transport strike.
In an interview on Dobol B TV, the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) also said it will not join the planned strike of MANIBELA and PISTON.
“Ang Magnificent 7 [group] po, kami po ay hindi sasama sa kanilang binabalak na tigil-pasada,” ALTODAP president Melencio “Boy” Vargas said.
He said ALTODAP is composed of seven transport groups.
“Hindi na uso ngayon ang strike. ‘Yan po ay pinagdaanan na namin. Kami po ay nag-strike noon, nu’ng nakaraan. Noong panahon ni GMA, kami ‘yung nag-90% strike,” Vargas recalled.
For the ALTODAP leader, it’s no longer necessary to give inconvenience to the commuters.
“Sa ngayon, huwag naman nating pahirapan ‘yung ating mga mananakay. Kasi unang-una, binigyan naman sila ng pagkakataon. Hindi naman sila sumunod eh. Ilang extension na po ito. Nagkasama-sama rin kami, nag-usap-usap kami pero siyempre, may kanya-kanya tayong pananaw,” Vargas said.
With the disunity of transport groups, the DOTr said the planned two-day transport strike is apparently bound to fail.
“Clearly they will not paralyze Metro Manila and most especially the whole of the Philippines,” Ortega said.
He cited the previous transport strikes that failed to paralyze public transport last year.
(el Amigo/MNM)
