An estimated 2,000 jeepney operators and drivers in Pasig City will join the transport strike to be staged by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) on Dec. 14 to 15 in protest of the Dec. 31 deadline for the public utility vehicle (PUV) consolidation given to transport groups.

(Photo from No to PUV Phaseout Coalition)

In a radio interview, Pasig Pateros Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (PPJODA) Board member Rodolfo Molina confirmed the number of participants to the scheduled strike which they called their "last card" against the national government's PUV modernization program.

PISTON had earlier held a press conference announcing the transport strike to demand the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to scrap the Dec. 31 deadline for franchise consolidation.

"The franchise consolidation component of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) mandates all operators to surrender individual franchises for consolidation into a single one owned by a cooperative or corporation serving a specific route, a principle the LTFRB calls "one route, one franchise, one operator." PISTON said.

It argued that this scheme only leads to monopoly and corporate capture of public transport in the country as only large and financially viable cooperatives or corporations can comply with the costly modernization standards.

"Thousands of small-time operators, representing approximately 80 percent of all PUV operators, and many drivers face displacement by the end of the year," the group added.

"Ito ba ang pamasko sa atin ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at LTFRB? Ang pagkawala ng kabuhayan ng libo-libong tsuper at operator? Mahiya naman sila. Andami nilang pamilyang gugutumin pagpasok ng bagong taon (Is the loss of livelihood of thousands of drivers and operators the gift of DOTr and LTFRB to us this Christmas? They should feel ashamed. This will result in starvation for a lot of families this coming new year)," PISTON National President Mody Floranda said.

Besides scrapping the December 31 deadline, the strike will also call for the complete removal of the mandatory franchise consolidation and the entire PUVMP.

On Nov. 20, PISTON launched a three-day transport strike. Transport group Manibela joined the protest, which extended the strike until Nov. 24.

A dialogue was held between PISTON and LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III wherein they presented the reasons why they initiated a strike, as well as their demands to address the plight of the operators and drivers who would be affected by the PUVMP policies.

Among the demands are extending the franchise of traditional jeepneys to five years, lifting of the Dec. 31 deadline for consolidation, and changing some of the provisions of Department Order 2017-011.

The LTRFB agreed to some of the demands which includes a promise that the traditional jeepneys will not be phased out after the Dec. 31 deadline for consolidation.

However, both the LTFRB and the DOTr insisted that the Dec. 31 deadline for consolidation is non-negotiable. 

Florenda said this is the LTFRB and DOTr officials’ "usual reply" - that all their other demands would be studied.