By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Acknowledging the plight of PUV drivers reeling from the repercussions of successive oil price hikes, Malacañang said that it continues to look after the welfare of transport workers through various initiatives to help keep their livelihoods afloat.
In a briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro addressed certain complaints raised by transport groups, who said that the P1 fare hike for jeepneys is inadequate and that they feel threatened by the LTFRB’s fines for PUVs that will be joining the three-day transport strike that began today.
Usec. Castro said in a statement, “Ang tanging hiling lang din po ng pamahalaan ay maging balanse tayo sa pagtugon sa ganitong krisis na hindi ginusto ng gobyerno.”
She likewise emphasized that volatile prices of gasoline and diesel continue to be a byproduct of the ensuing tensions in the Middle East, a situation that is beyond the government’s control.
The Malacañang official added that the government strives to strike the balance between the welfare of transport sector workers and the commuters that rely on their services to get to and from their destinations daily.
“Lahat po ng ginagawa ngayon ay pinag-aralan para ang magiging epekto nito ay hanggat maaari ay hindi ganoon kalaki ang impact na maaaring magdulot ng kahirapan sa ating mga commuters.”
Usec. Castro went on to clarify the change in Malacañang’s earlier stance calling for fare hikes as a “last resort”, underscoring the need to adjust fares to account for volatile oil prices and increasing living costs being endured by PUV drivers and operators alike.
She concluded by assuring the transportation sector of unhampered government assistance that goes beyond existing fuel subsidies, that will continue to remain in effect to ensure public transportation remains available for Filipinos nationwide.
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