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The transport strike staged by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at
Operators Nationwide (Piston), which the group claimed to have
paralyzed over 80 percent of public transportation in some parts of
Metro Manila, had minimal effect on commuters in the country’s
premier region, the Metro Manila Development Authority and the
police said on Monday.
A few provincial centers, however, felt the
effects of the mass action. Piston and the Bagong Alyansyang
Makabayan, were projecting 90-percent to 95-percent paralysis of
public transportation in Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, General
Santos City and Butuan City.
The Metro Manila police chief, Director Geary
Barias, said the transport strike was hardly felt in the metropolis
and there were no untoward incidents.
“Based on our monitoring, it was generally
peaceful,” Barias told The Manila Times.
He said reports that some protesters were
blocking the path of jeeps and placing spikes along portions of EDSA
were “isolated cases.”
Earlier on Monday, the Philippine National
Police went on full alert to ensure order during the transport
strike.
The strike was staged to press the government to
control the rising prices of oil and to scrap the 12-percent
value-added tax on petroleum products and the oil deregulation law.
The other transport groups who did not join the strike opted to seek
an increase in fares.
Several transport groups have already filed
petitions before the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory
Board (LTFRB) to increase the current minimum fare of P7.50 to P9.
On Sunday, the Makati Jeepney Operators and
Drivers Association president, Orlando Marquez, said his group opted
to continue their dialogue with the government on long-term
solutions to the rising fuel prices.
“We respect their rights to hold a transport
strike but as for our group, our operations in Makati City will
continue and will remain normal,” Marquez added.
He said they did not see the necessity of
holding a transport holiday or strike when discussions between
transport groups and the government are still ongoing.
Some provinces affected
In the Bicol region, militant transport groups
successfully paralyzed the public transport system in the four
mainland provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Camarines
Norte on Monday.
But no transport strike was reported in the
island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate.
Joel Ascutia, spokesman of Piston in Bicol, told
The Times that 100 percent of buses, jeepneys and trimobiles in the
four mainland provinces of Bicol joined the one-day nationwide
transport strike.
“Our group started the transport strike from
12 midnight on Sunday until 12 midnight Monday,“ he said.
In Bacolod City, militant transport groups were
able to cripple 95 percent of the local public transportation. This
forced government offices to ferry their employees in the absence of
public transport.
The Bacolod police chief, Supt. Ronilo Quebrar,
said the mass action affected 95 percent of public transport but
there was no violence reported.
The United Negros Drivers Operators Center
president, Jessie Ortega, said the protest was peaceful but that it
will send a strong message to Malacañang that their pleas must be
heard.
In Bataan, drivers of tricycle, mini-buses and
jeepneys chose not to join the transport strike, because, they said,
doing so would mean hunger for their families.
-- Jayson Cruz Luna, Maricel V. Cruz, Ma. Ester L. Espina, Rhaydz
B. Barcia and Ernie B. Esconde
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