Transport strike to proceed today

MANILA, Philippines — The transport strike will proceed today as scheduled, after Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes downplayed the mobilization of unconsolidated public utility jeepneys (PUJs), transport group Manibela president Mar Valbuena said yesterday.

He said the group will insist on the suspension of the implementation of the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP) after President Marcos did not heed the Senate resolution to suspend it.

“The transport strike does not only focus on the suspension in the implementation of the PUVMP, but also to express our opposition to a program which is unfair and not affordable to ordinary drivers and operators,” Valbuena said.

He added that the success of the transport strike is not measured by an immediate result, but the ability of the affected drivers and operators to unite in expressing their position.

“The statement of Chairman Artes downplaying our transport strike only proves his lack of understanding of the purpose of the mobilization,” Valbuena added.

He said the transport strike aims to prove that many jeepneys and operators are still against the PUVMP.

“We can say that our transport strike is already a success, as we will be able to relay a message to the public and the government,” Valbuena said.

He maintained that members of Manibela and another transport group, Piston, will continue to oppose the modernization program.

“Win or lose, we still consider this a triumph for the transport sector,” Valbuena said.

He said the current PUVMP will lead to the loss of livelihood of drivers and operators.

Piston president Mody Floranda has said his group would join Manibela tomorrow, with up to 13,000 drivers, operators and commuters marching to Mendiola.

Refuting claims that it was rushed, President Marcos stood firm on his decision to implement the PUVMP. Twenty-two senators signed a resolution calling for the suspension of the program.

‘Libreng Sakay’

Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has committed fleets of its Libreng Sakay buses to ferry commuters who will be affected by the three-day nationwide transport strike that starts today.

The Libreng Sakay buses would be dispatched to seven routes in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the OVP said.

Four buses have been dispatched to Metro Manila, and one each will be ferrying passengers in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod and Davao.

The buses in Metro Manila, Cebu City and Davao City operate from Monday to Saturday, 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Those in Bacolod City operate from Monday to Friday and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In Metro Manila, two of the four Libreng Sakay buses are currently plying the EDSA Carousel route – from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Monumento. Meanwhile, the two other buses are plying the Quiapo-Commonwealth Avenue route.

The OVP said its buses are fully air-conditioned and equipped with necessities such as portable toilet, charging ports and free WiFi connection.

On Wednesday, Vice President Sara Duterte will formally launch the PITX-Naic route of its Libreng Sakay program.

“The new route will cater to passengers starting from Naic and seven other nearby towns in the province of Cavite all the way to the central terminal in Parañaque City,” the OVP said in a statement.

As of July 31, the OVP’s Libreng Sakay program has served over 1.3 million passengers. — Neil Jayson Servallos