BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and ASHZEL HACHERO
MALACAÑANG yesterday said the first day of the week-long transport holiday launched by some transport groups failed to disrupt the normal public commuting operations, particularly in Metro Manila and nearby areas, owing to the government’s timely preparations and efficient response.
The Presidential Communications Office, citing a report from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), said only a few routes were affected by the strike, with the number of protesters not even exceeding 500.
In a press conference, MMDA chairperson Romando Artes confirmed that the protest action failed to paralyze public transport in Metro Manila.
“It appears na hindi nag-materialize ng husto ang kanilang plano. Naipahayag naman nila ang kanilang hinaing at pinapakinggan naman sila ng pamahalaan, so nasa kanila na if itutuloy pa nila basta kami nakahanda at patuloy na magbibigay ng libreng sakay (It appears that their plan failed to fully materialize. The government is willing to listen to their concerns so it is up to them if they will still push through with their transport strike, but whatever it is, we are prepared to continue providing free transport),” Artes said.
The press briefing was held at the MMDA headquarters in Makati and was also attended by representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
“Marami pa ring mga pampublikong sasakyan na bumiyahe sa Metro Manila (There are still many public utility vehicles that continue to ply Metro Manila),” Artes added.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the nationwide transport strike had a minimal impact, with 10 percent of routes in Metro Manila and 5 percent of routes nationwide affected.
During the Laging Handa public briefing, Bautista also said public utility vehicles in other provinces, such as Bacolod and in Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), Region 11 (Davao Region), and Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) did not join the transport strike.
The nationwide strike is being spearheaded by transport coalition Manibela and supported by groups such as the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide, Jeepney Operators and Drivers Nationwide, Divisoria Recto Piston Jeepney Operators Drivers Association of Malabon City, Damayan ng Apolonio, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization, Monumento Polo Drivers Association, Malinta Caliwa Novaliches Drivers Association, Novaliches Malinta Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, Tipas Pateros Pasig Jeppney Operators and Drivers Association, Kapisanan Sa San Joaquin ng mga Jeepney Drivers at Operators Inc., Marikina Parang Drivers Operators Association, Panorama Rancho Estate Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of Cubao, and the Libra Brotherhood Multipurpose Cooperative.
The groups are protesting the government’s modernization program of public utility vehicles (PUVs) and the planned phaseout of old and traditional jeepneys.
The PCO said government authorities monitored some reported harassment of drivers of public utilities that did not participate in the seven-day PUV stoppage, but these were resolved by increasing the number of police in affected areas to ensure public safety and order.
GENERALLY PEACEFUL
The PNP said the first day of the transport strike was generally peaceful, with no major untoward incidents reported.
“The transport holiday, our assessment is it was peaceful, generally peaceful. We have not monitored any untoward incident,” said Col. Redrico Maranan, chief of the PNP Public Information Office, adding they also did not monitor incidents about members of transport groups intimidating commuters.
“There is none as of now,” said Maranan
Maranan said Quezon City and Manila City were the most affected areas in Metro Manila.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. assured protesters that the PNP will prevent them from airing their sentiments and will observe maximum tolerance in handling the situation.
Despite some cases of harassment against drivers who opted not to participate in the transport strike, NCRPO Col. Roman Arugay said the protest turned out peaceful.
“May ilang cases of harassment sa ilang drivers na hindi sumama sa strike pero wala namang harm or injuries na nangyari.Wala ring arrest at peaceful naman overall ang strike ngayong araw (There were some reported cases of harassment of drivers who did not join the strike but there were no harm or injuries. There were also no arrests made. Overall, the strike is peaceful),” Arugay said.
Lawyer Jocelyn Tataro of the LTFRB said they monitored seven areas or routes of concern that were affected by the strike, namely East Avenue, Commonwealth, Monumento, Philcoa, Navotas-Alabang, Cubao and Baclaran.
GOVERNMENT READY
The MMDA deployed 2,000 personnel to monitor situations on the ground, including in areas where stranded commuters were reported. It likewise put 25 vehicles on standby to ferry stranded passengers.
“Kanina pang alas singko ng madaling araw ay nakatutok na ang MMDA sa sitwasyon mual sa aming command center (We have been monitoring the situation as early as five in the morning from our command center),” MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana said.
Lipana said only 88 of 1,600 augmented vehicles from the MMDA, NCRPO, local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies were dispatched to cater to passengers affected by the strike.
The PCO said commuters availed of the government’s “Libreng Sakay” program, which provided free rides to commuters affected by the strike in Pasay City, Marikina City, Caloocan City, and Quezon City.
Azurin said the PNP made available buses and 6×6 trucks to transport commuters in Metro Manila and other areas to their destinations.
The Pasig City government deployed over 40 city buses, commuter trucks, and other utility vehicles to ferry stranded passengers.
Covered routes by the city’s free rides were Pasig Mega Market to Shaw Boulevard (vice versa), Pasig Mega Market to Ligaya via Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue, Pasig Mega Market to Kalawaan to San Joaquin to Pasig Mega Market (loop), Pasig Mega Market to Ligaya via C. Raymundo Avenue, and Pasig Mega Market to Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue to Rosario to C. Raymundo Avenue to Pasig Mega Market (Loop).
The PCO said that as of 1:30 p.m., the EDSA Busway carousel operated normally with sufficient number of buses plying their routes, while the situation in Calabarzon (Region IV-A) was reported to be “generally peaceful and manageable.”
It also said there was “no tigil pasada” activities monitored in the provinces of Cavite and Rizal.
Railways in Metro Manila, which includes the Light Rail Transit line 1 (LRT1), LRT-2, Metro Rail transit line 3 (MRT-3), and Philippine National Railways (PNR), extended their operating hours by one to 1.5 hours.
“The PNR has now 14 trainsets from seven in August 2022. With the transport strike, it will extend its operation by adding 14 trips today, March 6, making the total trips to 60 from 46,” Chavez said, citing a report from the PNR management.
It will also add one trip from Tutuban Station and extend its trip departing at 8:46 p.m. from 7:46 p.m., he added.
Chavez said the MRT-3, though in normal operation, is ready to extend its operation for the last trip from North Avenue Station to 10:00 p.m. from 9:30 p.m. and from Taft Avenue Station to 10:41 p.m. from 10:11 p.m., if necessary.
Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) spokesperson Jacqueline Gorospe assured the DOTr, through Chavez, that the LRMC is prepared to ensure service and manpower availability for LRT-1. The LRMC is the contract operator of the LRT-1.
The LRT-2’s regular trip from Recto Station is until 9:30 p.m. If extended, the last trip will be until 10:00 p.m.
On the eve of the transport strike, Malacañang issued a press statement saying that majority of the transport sector will not join the protest action.
NUMBER CODING SCHEME
Artes announced that the number coding scheme will be implemented today, the second day of the planned week-long transport strike.
“Nagdecide na po kami na hindi na po palawakin ang number coding suspension. Meron na ulit coding bukas (We decided not to expand the suspension of number coding. We will have coding tomorrow),” Artes said, adding that vehicular traffic got heavier on Monday that resulted in the slow turnaround time of PUVs due to the suspension of the number coding scheme.
On Sunday, Lipana said the suspension of the scheme for the entire week will depend on how the strike will paralyze public transport in the metropolis.
NO CLASS SUSPENSIONS
Education Secretary Sara Duterte did not suspend classes in public schools despite the strike.
“May I reiterate- the transport strike is a painful interference in our efforts to address the learning gaps and other woes in our education system. We oppose it because it is problematic, it will hurt our learners, and the inconvenience that it may cause comes with an enormous price deleterious to learning recovery efforts – and this is a price that learners will have to pay,” Duterte said in a statement.
She added: “Magkaroon man ng tigil pasada, walang tigil sa pag-aaral ang mga kabataan (The students will continue with their studies notwithstanding the transport strike).”
The Department of Education on Sunday encouraged school managements to implement both face-to-face classes and alternative delivery modes of learning this week.
It likewise advised regional directors and schools division superintendents to prepare for in-person classes and modular distance learning depending on the circumstances in each locality during the week-long transport strike.
LET US TALK
Bautista urged PUV operators and drivers to have a dialogue with the government to thresh out their concerns.
“Sabi nga namin, unang una, nakikiusap kami, na makipag usap samin, mas mabuti ma-pagusapan, kung iniisip, nila na magkakaroon ng phase out by December 30, hindi po mangyayari, ang gusto namin mag consolidate by December 30 (First of all, we told them, we begged them, to talk to us. It is better to discuss it. If they think that there will be a phase out by December 30, it will not happen, we only want to consolidate by December 30.)” Bautista said.
When asked if the December 30 deadline could be extended, Bautista said that DOTr is willing to further extend the deadline for consolidation but they want to ensure that the transport sector is doing its part to comply with the PUV modernization.
DOTr said it has no plans of terminating the implementation of the modernization program, noting that 60 percent of traditional jeepneys nationwide have already modernized and only 40 percent have yet to comply.
The LTFRB is targeting to modernize 158,000 traditional public utility jeepneys. Of this, it said 61 percent have modernized or upgraded their fleet in compliance with the modernization program.
DOTr Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said the department and the LTFRB are ready to hold dialogues with the transport sectors, especially those who supported and spearheaded the strike to address their concerns on the PUV modernization program and to dispel their fears that after December 30, their franchises will be canceled.
“Para sa mga sumama bukas po ang pinto ng DOTr at opisina ni Secretary Bautista para makipag-usap at makipag diyalogo sa inyo kung ano ang inyong concerns. Ang itinutulak po namin ay end of consolidation period at mag organize ng entity para mas mapaayos ang service at hindi phaseout (To those who participated in the strike, the doors of the DOTr and the office of Secretary Bautista remain open to talk and hold dialogues with you to address your concerns. What we are pushing is the end of the consolidation period and for them to organize as an entity to improve their service and not a phaseout),”
Pastor said referring to the deadline for PUV operators and drivers to form a cooperative or corporation.
He said that instead of taking it to the streets to raise their concerns, it would be better to sit down and engage in a dialogue.
In press briefings, LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz assured commuters that the government is on top of the situation.
“Let’s not make the problem worse, we are willing to adjust to your need, the important thing, is we have a common denominator which is the welfare of the public transport rider,” Guadiz said, echoing Bautista’s statement that there will be no phase-out of traditional jeepneys but rather an upgrade of the PUJs.
He added the LTFRB will guide jeepney operators in the modernization process and will maintain the traditional jeepney design subject to modification and will also help lower the cost of the modernized jeepney.
“We will lower the price (modern jeepney) from P2.6 million to up to P1.3 million, to alleviate this modernization program and the fear of the countrymen that it will take longer to find a job,” he said.
‘FAKE’ MODERNIZATION PROGRAM
Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela) urged President Marcos Jr. to issue an executive order junking the DOTR’s Department Order (DO) 2017-011 Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) which details the process of phasing out traditional jeepneys.
The militant lawmaker made the call on the first day of the PUV Transport strike initiated by various transport groups to register their opposition to the PUV modernization program, which was approved under the administration of former President Duterte.
“Hindi natin tinututulan ang modernisasyon, pero dapat naka-angkla ito sa pagpapaunlad ng kabuhayan ng mga jeepney drivers at hindi sa pagbibigay ng prangkisa sa mga malalaking negosyante. Sa kasalukuyang iskema ng PUV modernization, mababaon lamang sa utang ang mga tsuper at operator (We don’t oppose modernization, but it has to be anchored on improving the livelihood of jeepney drivers and not on giving franchises to big businessmen. Under the present scheme, drivers and operators will only be mired in debt),” Brosas said in a statement.
The militant lawmaker noted that under the program, an estimated 300,000 jeepney drivers will lose their jobs along with some 20,000 PUJ operators who stand to lose franchises.
She said drivers and operators have been fighting against the jeepney phase out program for the past five years, but the government has not heeded their call.
Brosas also condemned the alleged “overkill” police presence at the protest centers, Vice President Duterte’s attempt to red-tag transport groups, and the DOTr’s statement threatening striking drivers that they will face penalties if they join the transport strike. — With Myla Iglesias, Victor Reyes, Christian Oineza, Wendell Vigilia and Gerard Naval
