Transport group Piston and several progressive labor organizations will join forces in a nationwide three-day strike and protest action that will start on April 29 amidf the looming final deadline for the consolidation of jeepney operators to either a cooperative or a corporation as the first step in the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program.

Following the supposed Dec. 31, 2023 deadline for jeepney operators to consolidate, President Marcos extended the deadline to April 30 this year to give more time for the operators to consolidate.

But Piston deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon said the President and government officials in the transport sector still do not get what they are really fighting for.

Baylon said what they are fighting for is the livelihood of both the poor operators and drivers who would be severely affected by the PUV Modernization Program as they would be forced to get a modern jeepney that would cost more than P2 million.

He cited the cases of some of the operators who agreed to consolidate but ended up regretting it due to the high cost of the maintenance of the modern jeepneys, which he said, would usually break down.

Protesting transport groups also expressed fear that they could not afford the monthly amortization of the modern jeepneys, saying their earnings would only go to the monthly payment and the maintenance cost.

The three-day protest action, which will start on April 29 and end on May 1, will be supported by several labor groups.

In a media forum in Quezon City, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) secretary general Jerome Adonis cited at least three reasons why they are joining the transport strike that will start on Monday.

First, Adonis explained that the lack of concrete direction in the implementation of the PUB Modernization would only lead to thousands of operators and drivers on the list of jobless Filipinos.

Second, he said that the traditional jeepney is the only means of transportation today that is affordable to the ordinary workers, particularly the minimum wage earners.

Third, he said the push for the PUV Modernization would rob the Filipinos of their cultural identity since the traditional jeepney has always been the symbol of the Philippine transportation.

And the last reason, according to him, is that it is the Filipino commuters who would suffer the most in the PUV Modernization Program since they would be paying the high cost of the imported modern jeepneys through higher fares.

In the forum, Adonis expressed doubts on the assurance of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Teofiulo Guadiz that there will be no fare increase after the jeepney phase out.

“Where would the operators get their payment to the modern jeepneys which cost at least P2.8 million, of course from the Filipino people by raising the fare,” said Adonis.

For his part, former Bayan Muna representative Ferdinand Gaite said they will support the protest action to show to the government that labor groups understand the valid concerns of the jeepney operators and drivers.

“The call of the Filipino workers in the private sector is to have a minimum wage of not lower than P1,200 per day because this is the appropriate amount needed for their family,” said Gaite.

“For the government workers, we will continue to fight for at least P33,000 minimum monthly salary,” he added.

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