The transport strike, which started on March 6, was supposed to run for a week to protest the looming phaseout of traditional jeepneys under the government's modernization program for public utility vehicles (PUV).
But in a twist of fate, organizers decided to call it off just on its third day to pave the way for discussions on how the program can be further improved for the benefit of all stakeholders.
As the transport groups’ leader put it, they were ending the strike as they are holding on to President Marcos’ pronouncement that the implementation of the PUV modernization program will be revisited to address the concerns of transport operators and drivers.
The way President Marcos handled the transport strike was nothing extraordinary. Yet, he was able to show to all and sundry that problems, like the transport strike, could be resolved without resorting to punitive measures and using the state’s police power that had often ended in bloody confrontations in the past.
Punitive measures more often than not would not solve the problem. In fact, it triggers animosity that often results in a chaotic end rather than addressing the issue.
But through negotiations and consensus, Marcos was able to send the government’s message loud and clear — that the state cares for the transport sector and the commuters.
In fact, President Marcos has directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to study the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) until Dec. 31. The two agencies were also ordered to conduct an intensive consultation with stakeholders to ensure better implementation of the PUV modernization program for the benefit of drivers, operators, and commuters.
He assured transport leaders that the government will fix the system, while inspection of jeepneys, which he had earlier promised, will push through to check which are still fit to operate to ensure the safety of drivers and commuters.
Prior to the strike, Marcos said that while the PUV modernization is inevitable, the program’s implementation leaves much to be desired.
“On the issue of modernization, I think it should push through. However, based on my own studies, I don’t think the law is being implemented well,” Marcos said ahead of the strike.
With the president’s assessment, the DOTr and the LTFRB should immediately buckle down to work to find a win-win solution to the transport operators and drivers’ concerns without compromising the objective of the PUV modernization program and the safety of the riding public.
With the manner by which President Marcos handled the short-lived transport strike, he was also able to show that the government is ready to listen to the public’s concerns.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat naman sa kanila na sa palagay ko, ay naramdaman nila... they have made their point, and they have made their point very clearly na kailangan nating tignan at pag-aralan nang mabuti (I am thankful to them and I think they have made their point very clearly that we need to revisit and restudy it),” Marcos was quoted as saying in reaction to the strike.
Rather than resenting the strike that would have affected commuters for a week, Marcos took it as a wake-up call for the government.
We laud President Marcos for the simple, yet effective way of averting what would have been a transport crisis.
With the transport strike called off, the ball is now on the side of the concerned government agencies. They should act now on President Marcos’ directives and address the concerns raised to maintain this peaceful atmosphere in the transport sector.