Piston vows to cripple transport across Pampanga

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) urged schools and offices in all 21 towns in this province to close on Monday as it threatened to stage a "more paralyzing" transport strike that day.

"We expect all 21 towns in Pampanga to be affected by the transport strike since more transport groups, including those operating mini-buses, have committed to join the protest action," said Waldy Santos, PISTON coordinator for Pampanga.

Even tricycle drivers in 50 terminals across the province will also ground their vehicles, he said, adding that the strike will last from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Santos denied allegations that politicians from the opposition camp are behind the strike, supposedly meant to embarrass President Arroyo who hails from Pampanga.

"There is absolutely no politician instigating the strike. If there is politics at all, it is the politics of the masses," he said, citing the government’s failure to act on the demands of drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) last March 16.

Unlike the strikes last Feb. 23 and 24 and March 1, Santos said Monday’s transport stoppage will be participated in by more transport groups in the cities of Angeles and San Fernando.

PISTON canceled its slated strike last March 9 after the government promised to act on their petitions on March 16. The government also announced a one-peso discount on fuel prices and a 40-percent discount on tires.

"The promises were all deceptions. In Pampanga, only two gas stations in Angeles and another two in San Fernando offered diesel discounts so jeepneys formed long lines that (robbed them of) time (to ply) their routes," he said.

Santos also noted that while there are hundreds of thousands of PUV drivers nationwide, the government issued only 3,000 coupons for tire discounts.

Apart from a fuel price rollback and a one-peso fare increase, PISTON also sought government subsidies for insurance requirements, drug testing and fuel emission tests which jeepney drivers have to comply with for the annual registration of their vehicles and renewal of their driver’s licenses.

"We do not oppose insurance, drug testing and the Clean Air Act, but the drivers are already too financially burdened," he said.

At the end of the day, drivers usually bring home a net income of P100, he said.