It seems that transport group PISTON failed to achieve its expected 100-percent paralyzation of public transport throughout the country on Day 1 of the week-long transport strike.
Malacañang on Monday said operations of public utility vehicles nationwide remained normal as validated by Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, who said it was business as usual for many drivers despite the ongoing protest of their colleagues.
Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, in a news release, said only a handful of routes in the National Capital Region experienced disruptions as members of various transport groups fanned out to different parts of Metro Manila to protest the government’s public utility vehicles modernization program.
This was contrary to the claim of Mody Floranda, president of Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide or PISTON, who said that as of 8 a.m. yesterday, 80 percent of public transportation in Metro Manila was paralyzed, while 100 percent disruption was expected in all of Metro Manila and other parts of the country later in the day.
Floranda said there were no public transportation services to and from Cogeo in Antipolo, San Mateo in Rizal, Novaliches and Philcoa in Quezon City, and Moñumento in Caloocan City.
Citing reports from the Department of Transportation, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Philippine National Police, Garafil said the government’s “Libreng Sakay” program provided free shuttles for commuters.
“As of 10 a.m. (Monday), the EDSA Busway Carousel had not been impacted by any transport strike activity, with operations running smoothly with a low passenger volume observed at all stations,” she said, assuring the public that the government had enough assets and personnel to respond to the needs of commuters.
PNP personnel, she added, also ferried passengers from Almar Subdivision in Caloocan to Quezon City, while the authorities deployed vehicles to service passengers on the Dapitan-Baclaran route.
Garafil said the government had prepositioned Libreng Sakay buses in Pasay City, Marikina City, Caloocan City, as well as in Quezon City.
The EDSA Busway was operating normally with a moderate to heavy volume of passengers at the southbound from north sector stations, MCU and Roosevelt based on a report at around 7:15 a.m. Monday.
There was a sufficient number of buses to transport stranded passengers at SM-Crossing Calamba Terminal in Calamba City in Laguna.
4 regions didn’t join
Meanwhile, the DoTr said the week-long strike will “not have that much impact” on the economy.
“Of course, if it has an impact, we will be worried, but from what we can see, the impact is not that big. The report to us is that no one from Regions 9, 10, 11 and 12 joined the protest,” Bautista told reporters.
“Here in Metro Manila, there were only a few who joined, but in Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna operations were still normal,” he said.
Follow franchise mandates
DoTr Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor reiterated that there was enough transportation capacity to serve the needs of the commuting public.
“Operations are normal and there is sufficient transport supply. We are grateful to the drivers and operators who are running today, that although they are under pressure to join the strike, they know what is right and what is right is to provide a service to our countrymen,” Pastor told reporters in a separate interview.
According to Pastor, jeepney drivers and operators must follow the mandates of their franchise, adding that “public transportation is imbued and vested with public interest.”
Delayed implementation
In June 2017, the DoTr, then led by former secretary Arthur P. Tugade, launched the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Plan.
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