Manibela stages transport strike anew

Transport group Manibela on Monday launched another transport strike which paralyzed parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, stranding commuters amid the government’s push for public utility vehicle modernization.

With the strike, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) immediately deployed buses to help stranded passengers along major routes.

This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected a Senate resolution calling for a temporary suspension of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

To recall, the proposed Senate Resolution 1096, signed by 22 of the 23 senators, urged the government to temporarily suspend the implementation of the transport modernization program.

The senators said there is a high number of unconsolidated PUV units, with phaseout of the iconic jeepney design “in favor of so-called modern jeepneys,” low percentage of approved routes, among others.

Launched in 2017, the public transport modernization aims to replace old jeepneys with more environmentally friendly vehicles, although critics say the high cost of new units and other factors have hindered the program’s implementation.