No transport strike paralysis — DoTr, LTOP

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) and various transport organizations have downplayed the planned two-day transport strike by Manibela and Piston tomorrow and on Tuesday.

DoTr Undersecretary for Roads Sector, Andy Ortega, assured the public that there would be “no paralysis of public transport” as other transport groups are plying their routes as usual.

Among those not joining the strike are the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) and 20 other organizations like Pasangmasda, FEJODAP, Stop and Go Coalition, Federation of UV Express of the Philippines, and the Taxi Operators Association of Philippines.

LTOP president Orlando Marquez pointed out that similar transport strikes last year failed to significantly disrupt public transportation.

“Those planning to rally or protest account for merely 5 percent of the entire transportation sector,” Marquez said, while acknowledging Manibela and Piston’s right to strike.

Ortega also highlighted that nearly 78 percent of public utility vehicle (PUV) operators nationwide have already complied with the consolidation requirement under the PUV Modernization Program of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The strike comes just weeks before the application deadline for consolidation expires.

The consolidation requirement is the first step in the government’s PUV Modernization Program, which aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that meet at least a Euro 4 emission standard.

The program also seeks to reduce pollution and replace unsafe units deemed unfit for continued usage by the Land Transportation Office.

Following the 30 April deadline, Ortega said that the DoTr will shift its focus to the Local Public Transport Route Plan, also known as route rationalization.

This plan, developed with the local government units, aims to add more routes for improved public transportation access.

While the consolidation is underway, the actual replacement of old PUVs would be a separate process under a 27-month program, meaning the full modernization efforts “will not be happening soon,” according to Ortega.

Manibela and Piston announced their planned strike last Thursday, citing the looming deadline for PUV operator consolidation on 30 April as the reason.

To help commuters who may be affected by the two-day strike, the LTFRB also announced a “Libreng Sakay” (free ride) program today and tomorrow.