PISTON drivers stage rallies in QC, Bicol

JEEPNEY drivers from the group PISTON rallied at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City and in Bicol areas on Monday to protest against the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

PISTON leader George San Mateo led rallyists in marching from the corner of East Avenue and NIA Road to the LTFRB office, where he blasted the agency’s Memorandum Circular 2018-008 or Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, which implements the PUVMP.

The circular requires individual franchise holders to organize into a cooperative and replace their fleet with Euro-4 utility, solar, or electric vehicles within one year.

The circular forces operators to comply so that they can continue to operate on their routes, according to San Mateo.

The PISTON leader again warned that the PUVMP would result in thousands of jeepney operators and drivers losing their livelihood.

The rallyists also protested the continuous oil price increases, which already totaled P9 per liter since January.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Albay has suspended classes in all levels in Legazpi City, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Jovellar, Polangui, Sto. Domingo and Tabaco City due to the jeepney drivers’ protest rally.