Gov’t ready vs. Piston’s 3-day transport strike

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority assured that the government's Task Force Tigil Pasada has sufficient resources to assist commuters who will be affected by the transport strike beginning Monday.

In a press conference, MMDA Acting Chairman Don Artes said they have readied a total of 686 vehicles to respond to stranded passengers.

Artes said all the 686 vehicles will not be "indiscriminately dispatched" in consideration for those public utility drivers who did not join the transport strike. 

Most of these vehicles will only be deployed in strike-concentrated routes, he added. 

"Kasi po kawawa po yung mga hindi sumama sa 'dun sa strike. Syempre po kung ididispatch natin ito sabay-sabay, mas pipiliin po ang libreng sakay ng ating mga kababayan kesa doon sa may bayad. Malulugi po yung mga hindi sumama sa strike," Artes explained. 

Artes said the members of Task Force Tigil Pasada have so far dispatched 66 vehicles to augment the transport strike until Wednesday.  

"Handa po kaming tumugon kung sakali pong may mga pasahero na maiipon at kailangan pong na may masakyan," he said.  

Transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) staged a three-day transportation holiday beginning Monday to protest the government's public utility vehicle modernization plan. 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has deployed its assets and personnel on standby to augment in transporting passengers affected by the transport strike on Monday. 

AFP Public Affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad told the Daily Tribune that it will utilize its two buses, a unit of a five-ton military truck, two of its KM 250 trucks, and another two KM 450 units. 

"The AFP through the JTF NCR is in coordination with the authorities for our possible deployment and routes," he said. 

Trinidad assured the AFP would provide additional transportation if necessary.

The Philippine National Police, on the other hand, said it has deployed 920 mobility assets to assist stranded commuters amid the transport strike.