Drivers threaten to go on strike against TRAIN

CEBU, Philippines — A militant group of jeepney drivers and operators in Cebu has threatened to go on a transport strike to call for the scrapping of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), which it branded as disadvantageous to the poor.

Greg Perez, chairman of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) in Cebu, said officials of the group will meet in Manila next week to discuss the matter.

“Dako ang posibilidad nga molusad mi og hiniusang transport strike kay kaning TRAIN maghatag kini og dugang kalisod, labi na gyud sa mga kabus nga sumasakay,” said Perez.

Perez, however, assured his group will not seek any hike in jeepney fares, saying it will be an additional burden on the part of commuters. Instead, he said they will ask the government to stop TRAIN’s implementation.

PISTON claims it has about 500 member-drivers in Cebu, mostly plying routes in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

“Tungod aning TRAIN, mosaka ang presyo ani sa krudo ug gasolina. Pero dili ang pagpasaka sa pletehan ang solusyon ani. Ang solusyon mao ang pagpahunong sa implementasyon sa TRAIN,” he said.

The Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO) maintains a different view as it will lobby for at least P6 hike in jeepney fares in Cebu, which if approved would make regular jeepney fare here surge to P12.50.

CITRASCO general manager Ryan Yu said his group will not withdraw its pending P1 fare hike petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 that was filed last year.

Yu said though that they will not seek adjustment in fares for the succeeding kilometers.

“Based sa among computation, pinaka-maximum na ang P6 nga increase sa minimum fare. But wala pud ni magpasabot nga P6 gyud ang among pangayuon nga increase,” he said.

Nevertheless, Yu said the group will only seek a fare increase once the excise tax on fuel  – P2.50 per liter for diesel – will be implemented within the month.

Senator Bam Aquino, in a statement, has warned that the increase in prices of fuel due to TRAIN may have a domino effect on the prices of goods and other services in the market.

“Nakakabahala ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin dahil sa pagpataw ng buwis sa langis. Dagdag gastos na naman ito sa pamilyang Pilipino,” said Aquino, who rejected the TRAIN's ratification in the Senate.

The TRAIN mandates the imposition of excise tax of P2.50 per liter on diesel and bunker fuel starting this year, P4.50 per liter in 2019 and P6 per liter in 2020.

For gasoline, the excise tax will be increased from P4.35 per liter to P7 this year, P9 per liter in 2019, and P10 per liter in 2020.

Aquino said the increase in prices of petroleum will lead to an increase in prices of goods, which will ultimately fall on the shoulders of consumers, especially poor Filipinos who are currently struggling to make ends meet.

The lawmaker is also hoping that the increase in take-home pay will be enough to offset the increase in prices of goods and services. —/JMD (FREEMANNEWS)