Transport strike goes pfft

The transport strike staged by the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers yesterday failed to paralyze the normal public transportation operations at the National Capital Region, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said.

MANIBELA, a transport group headed by Mar Valbuena, is opposing LTFRB's 31 December deadline for the consolidation of traditional jeepneys as part of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

"Based on our monitoring as of 11 a.m., there was no major disruption of public transportation in Metro Manila," said MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes during a press briefing held at the MMDA Head Office in Pasig City.

Artes noted that there was a passenger buildup in some areas, which he categorically described as usual Monday morning foot traffic.

Artes refuted the claim of Valbuena that the government was intimidated by threats of strike which prompted several local government units and learning establishments to suspend classes. Some LGUs and government offices offered free rides to ensure the strike will not inconvenience commuters.

"Our government does not hostage the threat of economic sabotage and inconvenience of commuting public much more if the demand is wrong. We must remember the jeepney modernization was called for by the law. In fact, more than 70 percent was already compliant."

Ahead of yesterday's transport strike, the MMDA has setup a multi-agency command center at the MMDA Head Office in Pasig City to monitor the developments.

Augmentation vehicles were prepositioned in strategic areas.

Appeal for understanding

The MMDA chief appealed for understanding as the agency did not suspend the expanded Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or number coding scheme.

"The decision of MMDA not to suspend the number coding scheme has yielded a positive result. Our aim is to avoid impeded traffic flow and to generate faster turn-around time of public transportation," he explained.

Earlier, transport operators belonging to the "Magnificent 7" group made a commitment to MMDA officials that they will not be joining the transport strike initiated by Manibela.

They are Pasang Masda, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Stop and Go Transport Coalition, and Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas.

While a caravan was set-up by MANIBELA to start at the University Avenue at University of the Philippines in Diliman, public transports (buses and jeepneys) not belonging to the group still play their routes aside from the government's
"free-ride" augmentation.

About 50 MANIBELA vehicles continued the caravan and headed to East Avenue at around 10 a.m.  and vowed to stage a protest in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board office.

Jeepney drivers and operators are required to join or form cooperatives under the PUV modernization program, which aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles powered by more environment-friendly fuels until 31 December.