Transport groups eye another nationwide strike by December

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 28)—Transport groups are looking into conducting another nationwide strike in protest against the jeepney franchise consolidation, Manibela chairperson Mar Valbuena said Tuesday.

“Itong pinag-uusapang na iba’t ibang transport strike, hindi pa namin ma-determine kung kailan namin ila-launch pero, definitely, meron pang mas malaking tigil pasada," Valbuena told reporters.

[Translation: These talks about another transport strike, we've not yet determined when to launch, but definitely there will be a bigger protest.]

Valbuena added another transportation strike will happen before the end of 2023.

“Meron kaming pinag-uusapan na dates pero hindi pa namin pinagkakasunduan kasi meron pang Dec. 30 [protest], meron pang [protest during] International Human Rights Day [on Dec. 10],” Valbuena said. “Hindi natin alam kung in between dito sa mga dates na ‘to magaganap yung susunod na mas malaking tigil pasada.”

[Translation: We have dates in mind but we still have to talk about it because there is still a protest on Dec. 30 and during the International Human Rights Day. We don't know if the next strke will happen in between these dates.]

Manibela previously joined the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide on the last day of its nationwide transport strike, which began on Nov. 22. Manibela continued its strike until Nov. 24.

Other transportation groups such as Pasang Masda joined the protest, said Valbuena.

The nationwide transportation strike affected areas, including Metro Manila, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Laguna, Bacolod, Iloilo and Naga and Legazpi cities in Bicol.

The nationwide transport strike was in response to the Dec. 31 deadline for franchise consolidation under the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

Transport groups earlier urged the government to grant traditional jeepney drivers and operators a five-year franchise even if they refuse to join a cooperative.

Manibela also urged Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Teofilo Guadiz to issue a memorandum order that guarantees that the jeepney franchise is both owned by the cooperative and the jeepney drivers