MANIBELA TO LAUNCH TRANSPORT STRIKE ON MAY 2 VS PUVMP

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 — 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)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Hope springs eternal for the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) as the militant transport group on Tuesday (23 April 2024)  asked the Supreme Court (SC) to act on their petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Umaasa kami dahil naniniwala kami na mahuhusay ang mga kinatawan na mga justice na itinalaga diyan. Umaasa pa rin kami na mag-bababa sila ng TRO panig sa mga mamamayan,” PISTON Deputy Secretary Ruben “Bong” Baylon said in an interview.

He made the statement as PISTON members held a protest rally in front of the High Court building on Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila.

To recall, in December 2023, PISTON and other transport groups asked the SC to declare null and void several issuances of government transportation agencies and issue a TRO to prevent the respondents from enforcing the said issuances.

Last week, the SC said that the petitions of PISTON are still under deliberation.

(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 — Just like a boxer who has only one hand to fight in the ring, the transport sector is sharply divided over the issue of the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, with Pasang Masda fully backing it while Piston strongly opposing the government scheme.

On Tuesday, Piston confirmed the “great split” among transport groups as Pasang Masda president Obet Martin led transport operators and drivers to file on Monday (January 15) a motion for intervention at the Supreme Court (SC) with attached comment and opposition to the main petitions against the PUV modernization program.

Pasang Masda disagreed with Piston’s stance that modern jeepneys are overpriced.

“Kung sinasabi nilang mahal, ang pagpili po, ang choices nasa cooperative, nasa korporasyon. Marami na ho ngayong murang mga modern jeepneys compliant sa Philippine National Standards kagaya ng isang supplier na halos P1 million na lang po ang halaga,” Martin pointed out.

Earlier, Elmer Francisco, chief executive officer (CEO) of E-Francisco Motors Corporation, claimed that their company is selling modern jeepneys for P985,000 each unit “unlike the P3 million (per unit) sold by China.”

Speaking for the opposing transport groups, Piston national president Mody Floranda said that although he respects the position of some transport groups, he also stressed that some operators do not want to be saddled with huge debt.

“Nirerepesto natin yung posisyon ng ibat-ibang federation. Marahil ay okay sa kanila ‘yung modernization pero dapat ay tinitignan din ‘yung mga kaibigan natin ano epekto sa baba dahil marami rin ang lumalapit sa atin na local association na galing din sa ibat-ibang federation,” Floranda said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Like a roaring jeepney, transport group Piston on Sunday expressed hope that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. would recall the Dec. 31 deadline for public utility jeepneys (PUJ) to consolidate despite the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reiteration that there will be no more extension.

This developed as DOTr Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chairman Andy Ortega clarified that the new memo was not an extension of the Dec. 31 consolidation deadline.

“During that period sila ay bibigyan ng due process para mag-show cause para malaman ano nangyari, then magkakadesisyon ang LTFRB,” Ortega said.

Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued a memorandum saying traditional jeepneys that fail to consolidate their franchises will still be allowed until Jan. 31, 2024, to ply routes where less than 60 percent of units are consolidated.

Ortega also reported that almost all jeepneys in “major routes” in Metro Manila have already consolidated.

“Yung mga major na ruta sa Metro Manila, yung mga mahahaba 15 to 20 kilometers eh almost all consolidated na yun. Yung mga hindi nagco-consolidate ito yung mga minor route,” the DOTr official said.

(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)

Ni Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Itutuloy ng transport group na Piston ang dalawang araw na transport strike matapos ianunsiyo ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na hindi palalawigin ang deadline para sa consolidation ng public utility vehicles (PUV) operators.

Itinakda ng grupo ang transport strike mula Disyembre 14 (Huwebes) hanggang 15 (Biyernes).

“Walang malinaw na batayan ang gobyerno para ipagpilitan ang deadline. Lalo lang nila papatayin ang mamamayan,” ayon sa Piston.

Iginiit ng grupo na halos 70 porsiyento ng public utility jeepneys at 60 porsyento ng UV Express units ang hindi na makakabiyahe sa NCR dahil sa transport strike, base sa datos ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Lupon (LTFRB).

Dagdag pa nito, kailangan pang kumpletuhin ang local public transport route plan (LPTRP), at karamihan sa mga local government unit ay hindi pa handa para sa konsolidasyon.

“‘Yung claim na 70% na ang consolidated ay misleading,” ayon pa sa PISTON.

“‘Pag jeeps sa NCR (National Capital Region), 26% pa lang ang consolidated. ‘Pag UVE (UV Express), 36% pa lang ang consolidated,” dagdag pa nito.

(ai/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)

Image Courtesy of Benjie Cuaresma

PARANAQUE City — Activists belonging to the transport organization PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide) staged a protest rally in Baclaran.

Their primary grievances centered around the Oil Deregulation Law and the persistent rise in oil prices.

The protesters also demanded the removal of excise taxes on oil and petroleum products, a reduction in oil prices, and the nationalization of the oil industry within the Philippines.

George San Mateo, the President of PISTON, emphasized the need for an investigation into alleged overpricing and the activities of large foreign oil corporations operating in the country.

Featured images depict members of the activist groups displaying sizable banners condemning the oil deregulation law, advocating for lower oil prices in the nation, and opposing the phasing out of jeepneys.

(Benjie Cuaresma/ai/mnm)