By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The struggle continues for the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) as the militant transport group announced on Saturday that it will hold a transport strike from April 29 to May 1 to protest the franchise consolidation requirement under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
It can be recalled that last April 15 to 16, PISTON and the Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (MANIBELA) held their two-day transport strike, stressing that they only want the government to primarily support the local manufacturers of modern jeepneys.
“Ang isang pinaka-ano niyan, sinasabi nila pag-aaralan nila, ngayon pa lang lumalabas ‘yung pagpayag nila sa local (manufacturers of jeepney)…ang isang malaking problema, wala naman silang inilalabas na Executive Order na Philippine Standard Compliance,” PISTON national president Mody Floranda earlier said in a radio interview.
He reiterated that they are not against the modernization of PUVs but are against some of the regulations of the government’s PUVMP.
Floranda cited the franchises, ownership of new vehicles, the companies where the said vehicles will be bought from, and the structure of the cooperatives they are being required to join for them to continue operating.
“Pakiusap namin sa mga commuter na unawain ang kalagayan ng mga driver at operator dahil ito ay laban ng mga mamamayan. Ito ay laban ng malawak na sektor ng mga commuter,” PISTON secretary general Ruben “Bong” Baylon also said.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have said the April 30 deadline for franchise consolidation will no longer be extended.
(el Amigo/MNM)
