PU drivers’ strike , students’ mass action, workers’ walk-out

North Metro jeepney drivers stage strike

They protested not because of the rising prices of gasoline nor because they wanted a fare hike but because of colorum buses and jeepneys plying their route with impunity and eating up their daily take.

Thousands of commuters in Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas were stranded yesterday morning after over 400 jeepney drivers and operators belonging to two major transport groups held a lightning protest paralyzing traffic on Samson Road, the major thoroughfare leading to Malabon and Navotas, and catching everyone by surprise.

According to Joven Llena, an officer of the MCU-Sangandaan Drivers and Operators Association, the protesting drivers were members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) and Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP).

Llena, a driver and operator at the same time, said they started the peaceful transport strike at around 6 a.m. and ended it before 12 noon. The drivers said it was only the beginning of a continuing protest as they vowed to conduct more moves to dramatize their plight due to the presence of over 200 out-of-line buses plying Samson Road in Caloocan up to Letre in Malabon.

"Worse, there are over 100 passenger jeepneys illegally plying the LRT-Sangandaan route adding to the dilemma of legitimate drivers and operators of authorized franchises for Sangandaan-MCU, Malabon-Monumento and Navotas-Monumento," Llena said as he appealed to the affected commuters for understanding.

Llena said the existence of out-of-line buses had eaten up their dwindling daily income.

"We have been always blamed for the choking traffic problem in the area but the reality is that these buses whose drivers appear to be more abusive than jeepney drivers, are the real culprits," Llena said.

They also blamed alleged unscrupulous officials of the concerned government agencies including the district traffic group headed by Superintendent Manuel Quevedo and local traffic units for permitting buses to operate the route despite the absence of a franchise.

"We have informed that ranking traffic officials have been raking in P20,000 to P25,000 monthly from bus operators in protection money aside from smaller amounts being received by officials from local traffic units," the protesting drivers claimed when interviewed during the lightning rally. – Jerry Botial

Pasig students hit tuition increases

Around 100 students staged a rally in front of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) office in Pasig City yesterday to kick off mass actions protesting the increase in tuition fees in some private colleges and universities this school year.

Spearheaded by the Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP) and the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), the protesters lambasted the CHED for its alleged failure to monitor unjust tuition increases imposed by many schools.

"We call on the government to radically overhaul the entire charter of the CHED, giving it regulatory powers to combat unwarranted school fees," said MASP secretary general for Metro Manila, Marichris Cabreros.

Some members of the Manggagawang Kababaihan Mithi ay Paglaya (MAKALAYA) backed the students as they complained about the rising cost of education in the country.

"This vicious cycle of extorting exorbitant tuition rates from students to pay for so-called quality education must stop . . . Clearly, education has become a huge money making scheme for (school owners)," Cabreros noted.

Records showed that around 350 colleges and universities in Metro Manila have jacked up their tuition by an average of 13 percent.

The placard-bearing protesters maintained that the adjustment was uncalled for, considering the economic crisis facing the country today."The students should not be made to pay for their own oppression but rather radical educational reforms must be implemented to end the deregulation of our education and ease the burden of our parents," she added.– Sheila Crisostomo

OWWA employees stage mass walk-out

About 500 employees of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) walked out of their jobs yesterday to protest the suspension of their more than P40,000 14th month pay and other financial benefits.

At exactly 11 a.m., majority of the OWWA employees abandoned their work and staged a picket in front of the OWWA building in Pasay City.

Welfare Employees Association (WEA) president Allan Ignacio said the workers walked out of their work en masse to dramatize their strong objection to Malacañang’s plan to stop collection of a $25 OWWA membership fee.

"The mere suspension of the $25 membership fee virtually means stopping the operations of OWWA both here and abroad," Ignacio said while claiming that such a move would result in eventual closure of the welfare agency and displacement of 500 employees.

Ignacio said President Arroyo is set to announce the suspension of the $25 OWWA membership fee during the celebration of the migrant workers day on Friday.

Labor Undersecretary Manuel Imson said Malacañang nor the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has no plans of suspending the collection of OWWA membership fees.

"Obviously there is misinformation because we cannot suspend collection of OWWA fees," Imson said.

Imson explained that the $25 OWWA membership is collected from overseas workers per contract. The collected fund is used to supposedly provide insurance and other benefits to migrant workers.

But Imson said many overseas workers from Hong Kong, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Rome have been complaining that there were no sufficient programs for migrant workers despite collection of $25.

"We have been receiving negative feedback regarding the collection so we are now reviewing the policy but there is no plan to suspend it. What we are considering is collecting a membership fee from overseas workers on voluntary basis but with limited benefits," Imson added. – Mayen Jaymalin