By Junex Doronio
MANILA – The “Magnificent 7,” composed of seven large transport groups, on Friday (09 Aug 2024) downplayed the threat of a three-day transport strike organized by Manibela next week, which has so far garnered support from Piston.
This development came as the larger transport coalition expressed its gratitude to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for his unwavering support of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).
“Ako ho, namuti na ang buhok ko sa transportasyon. Luma na ho ang tigil-pasada, hindi na po uso ‘yan. Ang uso, ugnayan sa ating pamahalaan,” said Pasang Masda president Roberto “Ka Obet” Martin during a press conference.
However, he acknowledged the concerns of cooperatives and corporations backing the consolidation, especially after 22 senators signed a resolution calling for its suspension.
Ironically, only opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros did not sign the resolution.
Martin emphasized that the “tigil-pasada” protest, once an effective means of catching the government’s attention, no longer suits the current transportation landscape in the country.
His statement came in response to Piston’s announcement on Friday of its intention to join Manibela’s three-day transport strike next week.
Piston national president Mody Floranda said he hopes to meet with Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena to strategize their next move, especially in light of the President’s firm stance on implementing the PTMP despite the Senate’s resolution calling for its suspension.
“Ang sa atin ay dapat pag-aralan mismo ni PBMM kung bakit nagkaroon ng Senate resolution. Tayo ay maglulunsad ng mga serye ng pagkilos hindi lamang dito sa NCR kundi sa buong bansa, naghahanda tayo sa mas malawak na transport strike sa harap mismo ng Malacañang,” Floranda stated.
However, the President has underscored that the modernization program has already been postponed seven times.
“I disagree with it (PTMP temporary suspension)…. Sinasabi nilang minamadali, (but) this has been postponed seven times. The modernization (program) has been postponed seven times,” Marcos Jr. told reporters.
ia/mnm
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — After the three-day transport strike of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) that culminated on Wednesday (01 May 2024) coinciding with the international commemoration of Labor Day, the Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) will also hold its mass action beginning Thursday (2 May 2024) to protest the franchise consolidation requirement under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
This was announced on Wednesday by MANIBELA’s leader Mar Valbuena who noted that even if the consolidation deadline lapsed on Tuesday (30 April 2024), they are still hoping President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will heed their call to scrap the PUVMP.
It can be recalled that last April 15 to 16, PISTON and Manibela held their joint two-day transport strike, stressing that they only wanted the government to 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.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Stressing that they only want the government to primarily support the local manufacturers of modern jeepneys, transport groups Piston and Manibela will kick off their protest actions at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Quezon City and Mendiola in Manila on the first day of their two-day transport strike on Monday (15 April 2024,).
“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,” Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) national president Mody Floranda said in a radio interview.
The Piston president reiterated that they are not against modernization of PUVs but are against some of the regulations of the government’s PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).
He 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 in order for them to continue operating.
“Sa atin ay malinaw ‘yung ating posisyon na mas dapat ‘yung mga local (manufacturers) ang suportahan ng gobyerno,” Floranda further said.
He disclosed that Piston and the Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) will assemble along U.P. Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City in the morning.
From there, the groups will proceed via caravan to the main office of the LTFRB at East Avenue at around 1 p.m.
(el Amigo/MNM)
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)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Claiming that there are still around 40,000 traditional jeepney units that have yet to join the consolidation program, transport group Manibela appealed for compassion from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., saying drivers and operators will lose their livelihood once the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) suspends their operation come January 1, 2024.
This developed as the government remained firm on Tuesday (December 26) in its stand not to extend the deadline for the consolidation of operators to comply with the jeepney modernization program.
Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan clarified that there will be no more extension beyond the December 31 due date, despite appeals from drivers and operators to give them more time to comply with the policy to join a cooperative.
Under a cooperative, an operator will lose ownership of his unit as this will now form part of the asset of the group that formed the juridical entity.
Meanwhile, transport group Piston expressed hope that a temporary restraining order [TRO] would be issued by the Supreme Court (SC) after it brought the issue to the highest court.
(IAmigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Transport group Manibela on Friday (23 Dec 2023) said it planned to file next week a petition for intervention before the Supreme Court (SC) in support of an earlier bid of PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) to block the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
Various transport groups have strongly opposed the revocation of franchises of those who will not register for consolidation by December 31 this year.
“Narinig ko kasi yung pronouncement ni President BBM na, hindi na niya kailangang tingnan yung 30 percent kasi 70 percent na daw (ang nakapag-consolidate), ayon sa datos ng DOTr. Eh siyempre kung titingnan naman natin dito sa aral ng ating Diyos, na dito sa Parable of the Lost Sheep, na hindi niya tiningnan yung 99 na masunurin o matuwid, kundi yung isa. Napakahalaga na yung isa para mabuo,” remarked Stop and Go Coalition president Zaldy Ping-ay in an interview withTeleRadyo Serbisyo.
He was drawing parallelism in a biblical verse following the pronouncement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that the December 31 deadline for the consolidation of PUVs would no longer be extended.
He bared that the Stop and Go Coalition was writing a letter to the President asking him to consider extending the deadline for franchise consolidation under the PUV Modernization Program.
“Yun lang naman ang gusto naming ipaabot kay Pangulong BBM, para yung kanyang slogan na uniting the nation. So paano tayo magkakaroon ng unifying the nation kung may maiiwan?” Ping-ay asked.
(IAMIGO/MNM)
As the Pinag Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators (PISTON) concluded their three-day strike in Mendiola on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, the commuting public faces continued challenges securing transportation along Taft Ave in Manila (featured images).
Adding to the transport disruption, the Manibela group rolled out a similar activity, extending the momentum of the strike until Friday, November 24, 2023. President Mar Valbuena of Manibela anticipates substantial participation of 150,000 to 200,000 drivers in the nationwide strike, encompassing UV and shuttle drivers.
Both organizations strongly oppose the imposed December 31, 2023, deadline for jeepney operators to consolidate. They are also expressing their dissent against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)
In a culmination of a three-day nationwide transport strike (featured images), the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) gathered at Mendiola on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
The group fervently expressed their opposition to the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), particularly the impending phase-out of traditional jeepneys set for December 31, 2023.
Simultaneously, another advocacy group, the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (MANIBELA), is poised to launch a similar strike following the conclusion of the three-day strike by Piston militants.
Both Piston and Manibela vehemently reject the PUVMP.
(Benjamin Cuaresma/AI/MNM)
By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — A transport group has announced another transportation strike set to take place from November 22 to 24.
Mar Valbuena, the chairman of the transport group Manibela, stated that their opposition to the government’s PUV Modernization Program prompted them to organize this strike.
“We are announcing this not only in [Metro Manila] but nationwide across the Philippines. Manibela will cease operations in response to our concerns that the [Department of Transportation] and [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] are not addressing,” added Valbuena.
Meanwhile, another transport group, PISTON, is currently on the second day of their ongoing transport strike, scheduled until November 22.
“If it is not extended, we will be considered ‘colorum’ starting January 1. I assure you that a wider and more intense transport strike will welcome the new year. I guarantee that,” stated Valbuena.
However, Valbuena clarified that members of Manibela are not compelled to participate in the strike.
“We are not forcing our fellow members. If they do not want to join, we should not insist,” he said.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio & Liezelle Soriano
CLAIMING THAT SOME CORRUPT INSIDERS in Malacañang don’t want to resolve the issues facing the transportation sector, the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (MANIBELA) on Sunday suddenly canceled its supposed meeting in Malacañang and vowed to push through with the planned transport strike on Monday, October 16.
MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena said he personally requested to cancel the meeting due to issues with certain “corrupt people” whom he did not identify.
“May mga taong ayaw maayos ito at baka mabuking ang kanilang mga kalokohan. Tsaka ko na sasabihin [kung sino sila], malapit na. Mga corrupt talaga ito,” he said when interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB.
The planned jeepney strike on Monday, October 16, is in protest against the “phasing out” of jeepneys and alleged corruption in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
MANIBELA’s transport strike intends to hit about 600 routes throughout Luzon, with 150 jeepneys affected per route.
However, seven transport groups, including Pasang Masda and PISTON, have agreed with the government not to participate in the strike.
Valbuena claimed that their supposed Sunday meeting in Malacañang was “sabotaged”.
“‘Yun lang ang nabalitaan na may meeting, hinarang na. Sangkot siguro ‘to sa anomalya. Kilala ko sila, binanggit sa’kin. Pero hindi ko muna sasabihin… Ako na nag-request na mag-cancel kung ganoon ang isyu nila,” he said.
As this developed, some local government units (LGUs) and schools in Metro Manila have already announced Sunday the suspension of face-to-face classes on Monday due to the impending nationwide transtrike.
The list of LGUs:
Cabuyao, Laguna
Calamba, Laguna
Santa Rosa, Laguna
Pampanga
Universities and colleges
Adamson University
De La Salle University – Manila campus
Far Eastern University Manila and Makati campuses
FEU High School
National University – Manila: shift to synchronous learning
National University-Nazareth School
San Beda University – Rizal and Manila campuses: Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED) to shift to online classes
San Sebastian College – Recoletos Manila:
University of the East – Caloocan and Manila campuses
University of Santo Tomas
(ai/mnm)
MANILA — This coming Monday (16 October 2023), the Manibela-led nationwide transport strike will proceed as planned despite the decision of seven other transport groups not to participate.
Mar Valbuena, the president of the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers Para sa Karapatan sa Paggawa (Manibela), reaffirmed their commitment to the strike in opposition to the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
Valbuena cited the looming December 31 deadline as a driving force for their decision.
However, leaders of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas, Pasang Masda, Stop and Go Transport Coalition, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, and Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association announced that their members will not join the strike.
They believe the strike will exacerbate the challenges faced by the transportation sector.
Notably, the recantation of Jefferson Tumbado, the former executive assistant of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III, on allegations of corruption has not influenced the decision to proceed with the strike.
Tumbado withdrew his accusations and issued apologies to Guadiz, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, and the Office of the President for his earlier claims.
In support of Guadiz’s leadership, the seven transport groups released a manifesto. Some schools across the country have opted for online classes on Monday in anticipation of the strike, and certain local government units will provide “libreng sakay” or free ride services.
The PUVMP consolidation deadline has seen multiple extensions, moving from December 2021 to June 2022, then to March 2023, June 2023, and finally to December 31, 2023.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) plans to deploy personnel to areas where protests are expected to maintain law and order and provide security. PNP mobility assets will also be on standby to offer “Libreng Sakay” if needed.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan emphasized that allegations of corruption within the LTFRB should not obstruct the implementation of infrastructure projects for the transport sector.
He noted that these projects have already progressed through various stages of implementation and identification, as outlined in the Public Investment Programs within the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2023-2028.
(ai/mnm)