By Gabriela Baron
Various transport groups are staging a weeklong strike starting March 6 to protest the impending jeepney phaseout in June.
About 100,000 units of public utility vehicles (PUV) including UVs and jeepneys will suspend their trips on Monday, according to transport group MANIBELA.
Around 200,000 to 300,000 passengers in Metro Manila are expected to be affected by the strike.
MANIBELA Chairperson Mar Valbuena on Tuesday, Feb. 28, rejected Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista’s call for a dialogue on the government’s PUV modernization program.
“Wala munang dialogue… Hintayin natin sa Lunes,” Valbuena said. “Wala na munang dayalogo, itutuloy na lang natin ito kung ganiyan pong nagyayabangan na lang tayo.”
“Scrap po muna nila ‘yan [PUV modernization program], tsaka kami mag-usap… ‘Yun po ang puno’t dulo po nito. Minamadali niyo. Hindi po ba? Kung binalangkas ito noong unang taon na [gustong ipatupad]. Nung ni-launch po ang omnibus guidelines, pinaintindi niyo muna po sana sa loob nang isang taon,” Valbuena continued.
On Monday, Bautista gave the directive to the Undersecretary for Road Transport to mediate with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the transport groups regarding the issue of PUV modernization.
“Ang problema yata ay hindi nagkaroon ng representatives and [Department of Transportation] doon sa mga discussion para ma-clarify kung ano man ‘yung issues,” Bautista said.
“So I have already instructed the Undersecretary for Road Sector to coordinate with the LTFRB and the operators,” he added.
In a memorandum circular approved Feb. 20, the LTFRB announced that individual operators of traditional jeepneys will be allowed to ply their routes until June 30.
After which, according to the memorandum, they must join a cooperative or a corporation. With reports from Karen Villanda-ag
