Commuters wait for their ride along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, September 23, 2024, during the first day of PISTON's two-day transport strike. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Transport groups PISTON and Manibela staged another round of transport strike on Monday, September 23, but the government played down the effects of the protest.

In Monumento Circle in Caloocan City, PISTON deputy secretary general Ruben “Bong” Baylon led the protest against the consolidation of public utility jeepney (PUJ) franchises under the government’s Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

“Simple lamang ang aming kahilingan — ano? Makabalik kami sa hanapbuhay. Ang gusto namin manatili ang single proprietorship, manatili ang indibidwal na mga operator,” Baylon told ABS-CBN News.

(We have a simple request. For us to go back to our livelihood. We want to retain single proprietorship, to allow individual operators)

Maria Dipus, a single jeepney operator from the province of Iloilo, joined the transport strike, saying the promises of the program have yet to materialize.

“Naka-modernize na po kami, 3 years na po….wala po kaming natanggap na mga benefits, si coop na lang po ang may karapatan,” Dipus said.

(We modernized three years ago, but we have not received any of the benefits, only the cooperative has rights)

SOME COMMUTERS HAD HARD TIME

Some commuters said they had a hard time riding public transportation on Monday. But many were able to avoid inconvenience because several universities and schools shifted to remote learing.

"Nahirapan po akong sumakay — ang sabi po ng sinakyan ko may rally daw po…Sa ano po Commonwealth, papunta po akong Araneta," Nhel Ventural told ABS-CBN News.

(I had a hard time catching a ride on Commonwealth, they said there was a rally)

Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena said their members decided to conduct a decentralized transport strike in different jeepney terminals in Metro Manila.

Valbuena once again urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to heed the their call and to stop the implementation of the PTMP.

“May suspension order na po, meron na pong resolution na galing sa Senado — sana po pakinggan n’yo rin ‘ito,” Valbuena said.

(There was a suspension order and a resolution from the Senate. We hope you will listen)

'JUST REGULAR RUSH HOUR'

But in a televised press briefing in Malacañang, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on downplayed reports that commuters were stranded in parts of Metro Manila because of the transportation strike.

Photos of commuters who seemed to be having a hard time getting hailing public transport earlier circulated on social media, but Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said that these are just regular photos of rush hour on a Monday. 

“These are regular traffic scenes… Hindi po ito mga nastranded na pasahero,” Guadiz claimed.

He said that few drivers and operators joined the transport strike and the government arranged free rides for commuters.

“And then pangatlo po, nandoon po ang [Philippine National Police] to maintain peace and order… para sa mga operators na namimilit po na sumama iyong mga kasamahan nila sa strike. So as of this time ho, wala hong na-stranded ni isang pasahero,” he said.

(And thirdly, the PNP was there to maintain peace and order to keep operators from forcing other jeepney drivers and operators to join the strike. So as of this time, no commuters were stranded)

The two transport groups that joined the strike represent only 5 percent of active jeepney drivers and operators, DOTr Undersecretary Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said.

“Eighty-three percent ng buong transportation sector ay sumama sa programa and that number is enough para matugunan yung commuters,” he said.

(Eighty-three percent of the transporation sector has joined the program and that is enough to meet commuters' needs)

Jeepney drivers who have refused to join cooperatives will be treated as “colorum” or unregistered vehicles unless they register with existing cooperatives, transport officials said.

“The call of Piston and Manibela to scrap the program is non-negotiable,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

“These two groups cannot be allowed to derail the program,” he said.

In August, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected calls to suspend the jeepney modernization program despite woes on the financial burden it would give to operators and drivers.

"I disagree with them because sinasabi nila minadali. This has been postponed seven times, the modernization has been postponed for seven times," Marcos Jr. earlier said.

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