The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) on Monday declared the government’s public transportation modernization program a failure, saying it has destroyed the country’s transport system and displaced hundreds of thousands of drivers and operators.

PISTON made the statement as it led a mass filing for the renewal of provisional authorities and franchises, which the group described as a protest against what it called the failed modernization program.

“Ngayong araw ang unang wave ng ating MASS FILING NG RENEWAL NG PRANGKISA/PA. Protesta ito ng mga operator na tutol sa ganitong palpak na programa ng modernization program, at pagtuligsa sa estadong patuloy na sumisira sa kabuhayan at serbisyo natin sa mamamayan,” PISTON national president Mody Floranda said in a Facebook post.

Floranda claimed the modernization program has forced around 500,000 jeepney drivers and operators out of the industry.

“Higit-kumulang 500,000 tsuper at operator ang nawalan na ng kabuhayan dahil sa palpak na ‘modernization’ program,” he said.

“Bago ang modernisasyon, may 300,000 PUJs sa buong bansa. Ngayon, nasa 128,000 na lang, ayon sa mismong DOTr,” he added, referring to figures from the Department of Transportation.

PISTON said drivers and operators who entered consolidation arrangements under the modernization program were buried in debt, while modernized public utility vehicles were allegedly taken over by large transport cooperatives.

“Palpak ang programa, dahil winasak nito ang suplay ng transportasyon,” Floranda said.

“Nalubog sa utang at nagkandalugi ang mga pumasok sa konsolidasyon. Ang pinakamalalaking kooperatiba sa iba't ibang rehiyon ay nahatak na ang mga pinundar na modern,” he added.

Floranda also criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former transportation secretary Vince Dizon, accusing them of being aligned with foreign auto manufacturers seeking to monopolize the transport sector.

“Umamin na mismo si Vince Dizon at si Marcos Jr. na palpak ang modernization. Pero itinuloy pa rin nila, dahil hawak sila ng interes ng mga dayuhang auto manufacturer at mga nais magmonopolyo ng sistema ng transportasyon,” Floranda said.

The group urged unconsolidated drivers and those who were forced to consolidate to join the mass filing, calling on them to leave what it described as “fake cooperatives” and a system that continues to damage the public transport industry.

“Sa mga unconsolidated, sa mga napilitan magpa-consolidate at gusto nang tumiwalag sa mga peke at tiwaling kooperatiba nila, lumapit sa Piston: Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide o i-message lang ako para makasama sa mass filing,” Floranda said.