MANILA (3rd UPDATE) — A transport group is planning a three-day transport strike to coincide with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24.

Manibela National President Mar Valbuena said the strike will be held from July 24 to 26 after the government allegedly ignored their group after several attempts of requesting to discuss the controversial Omnibus Franchising guidelines.

He claimed that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is prioritizing large companies and LGUs to rationalize routes.

"'Yung regional offices ng [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)] sila po ina-award karamihan nito sa mga malalaking korporasyon o di man po sa mga pulitiko, mayor, congressman. So wala na po pala kaming aabutan na ruta after ng route rationalization," he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

He warned monopoly of routes could lead to tripling of minimum fare as the competition is eliminated.

Valbuena urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to return 5-year franchises instead of 1-year provisional authorities that need to be renewed.

He noted that transport operators were "phased out twice" under the modernization plan: first, after their transportation franchises were rescinded and second, after modern buses were also removed from roads.

The 2017 Omnibus Franchising Guidelines serve as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) framework. The guideline requires operators to consolidate to make applying for loans easier and more efficient. The program aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles powered by more environment-friendly fuels, at least Euro-4, Euro-5, or Euro-6 compliant engines.

Some of the operators are saying that the "modern units" are too expensive and will bury them in debt. The cost of the modern jeepney ranges from P2 million to P2.8 million pesos.

"Hindi naman tayo sinabihan na tutugunan ang mga hinaing... Nagpapadala tayo ng mensahe, wala naman tugon.. Palitan na si Sec. Bautista... mag-retire na siya," Valbuena said on ANC.

'ALWAYS FAIR'

In a statement, the DOTr denied Valbuena's accusations that the agency failed to address their concerns.

"DOTr, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) have been in the past many weeks engaged in consultations with our PUV drivers and operators regarding their concerns such as the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP)," it said.

On the route rationalization, the DOTr said the LTFRB "has always been fair in implementing its mandate based on the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) either to corporations or cooperatives."

"The DOTr, LTFRB and OTC are open and willing to hold dialogues with any group who has legitimate concerns and we vow to address such concerns through consultations and forum," it said.

The DOTr alleged that the looming transport strike is aimed at gaining "public sympathy" and "media attention" but "not to address the legitimate concerns of PUV drivers and operators."

NO TRANSPORT STRIKE FOR PISTON

Transport group PISTON said they would not be conducting a transport strike but instead would march towards Malacañang.

"'Yung mga lumalahok sa ganitong pagkilos (martsa) 'yung mga coding at karelyebo. Kaya hindi hihinto biyahe ngayong July 17," PISTON President Mody Floranda said.

PISTON and Manibela were among several transport groups that joined a nationwide transport strike last March. The groups ended the strike after being given an audience in Malacañang.

Floranda said they would instead personally submit their letter to the Office of the President. The letter will include a list of their demands. Aside from revision of the Omnibus Franchising guidelines, they are also asking for the reimplementation of sale and transfer and discussing the rehabilitation of traditional jeepneys.

"Ang laman nito 'yung base sa March 7 sa pakikipagusap namin sa Office of the President na hinarap kami ng legal counsel ng Malacañang 'yung usapin sa pagrerebisa ng Omnibus Franchising guidelines. Tapos 'yung panawagan natin na ibalik sa 500 ang prangkisa. Tapos 'yung pangatlo 'yung muling ipatupad 'yung sale and transfer o 'yung paglalagay ng lehitimong pangalan ng mga lehitimong operator sa kanilang mga public transport at pangapat dyan yung usapin ng rehabilitation ng pampublikong transportasyon lalo na sa mga jeepney," Floranda said.

PISTON said the Omnibus Franchising guideline requirement of consolidation and the purchase of "modern" jeepneys is difficult for the operators despite the extension. Initially, the deadline for consolidation was slated for 2021. The Department of Transportation deferred the deadline to March 2023 and moved again to June 30.

Operators are expected to surrender their individual franchises for consolidation into a Fleet Management System under the controversial PUV Modernization Program. Here, cooperatives are required to purchase 15 minibusses per route.

“Panawagan namin kay BBM, batay sa pangako noong eleksyon at sinasabi niya hindi naman daw siya papayag na mawala yung ating traditional jeepney. Pero factual na umiiral sa kasalukuyan ay inoobliga at pnpwersa kami ng DOTr at LTFRB na pumasok sa usapin ng balangkas ng consolidation. Hindi ganun kadali ang usapin ng consolidation at hindi rin madali pumasok sa kooperatiba. Sapagkat malaki yung capital na kailangan namin iproduce. Halimbawa, batay sa Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, isang ruta ay 15 units yan eh sa P2.6 o P2.8 million bawat isa ang kakailanganin mo ay P36-37 million pesos para makapag-avail ka. So sino ang may kapapasidad o kakayanan na makapasok sa ganitong programa?” Floranda said.

CONSOLIDATION

Some of the jeepney operators said that there is nothing wrong with consolidation. They said they were able to take out a loan from the banks and purchase modern jeepney units. Taguig Transport Service Cooperative said they are planning to hold a press conference soon to prove that the consolidation and switch to modern units are feasible.

"Hindi naman government ang pinapahirapan ng mga 'yan ng mga transport group na 'yan 'yung mga mahal natin sa buhay ang pinahihirapan niya. Sorry ha never po kami sumali sa transport strike," Taguig Transport Service Cooperative President Freddy Hernandez said.

Hernandez said they started the consolidation in 2018 and were able to purchase over 50 units for their route.

“Bigyan na po deadline ng consolidation yan po ang first step. kung patuloy na pagbibigyan yang mga ayaw… yung prangkisa na iniisip nilang sarili yan po ay hiniram lang po namin. Ipinagkaloob lang po ng gobyerno natin kapalit po ay serbisyo. Huwag po sana gamitin ang prangkisa panakot sa gobyerno," Hernandez said.

• Group announces end of transport strike after Malacañang meeting

— with a report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News

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