Transport strikes escalate as drivers cite high fuel costs, low income

Strikes by public transport groups are intensifying as drivers face high fuel costs and low income, the Department of Transportation said.

DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez cited the Manibela transport group, which staged a three-day strike from 15 to 17 April, as an example of drivers calling for immediate government support.

“These strikes affect commuters, making it harder for them to reach their destinations,” Lopez said in Filipino, noting the challenge of balancing drivers’ concerns with public needs.

To ease disruptions, the government is deploying vehicles and expanding the Libreng Sakay program, which offers free rides to commuters.

Lopez said rising gas prices are also driving more Filipinos to use public transport, benefiting from a 50% railway fare discount and helping reduce road congestion.

“With the gas prices, I’d choose to ride the LRT too instead,” Lopez said in Filipino.

He added that improvements in MRT-7 by the second quarter of 2027 will cut travel time from Sacred Heart to North Avenue Station to 33 minutes and accommodate about 300,000 passengers.

“That’s one way of looking at it. It can really decongest the road,” Lopez said.