Piston holds Central Luzon-wide strike today

Jeepney drivers in Central Luzon belonging to the militant Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) will go on strike today to protest the stiff fines being imposed on smoke-belchers.

Medardo Roda, PISTON president, said they hope to paralyze transport operations in Central Luzon before expanding their protest action nationwide.

"We are doing this so that the government will feel what the transport sector is suffering now," he said. "Aside from the rising cost of fuel and spare parts, we have to endure the stiff penalty on smoke-belching."

Roda said Republic Act 8749, or the Clean Air Act of 1999, imposes a P1,000 fine for first-time offenders, P3,000 for the second offense, and a P5,000 fine and revocation of franchise for public utility vehicles and registration for private vehicles, for the third offense.

"We support any move to clean up the air but we believe that these fines are too much," he said.

Roda said each jeepney operator would have to shell out as much as P50,000 for engine calibration to comply with the law’s requirements.

"The implementation of the (Clean Air Act) should not be in such a way that will eventually kill us and our families by starving us," he said. "The fines must be reduced."

Pedy del Leon, spokesman of Dyipni-Tricycle Bulacan Transport Organization, said they will stop plying their routes in the Bulacan towns of Guiguinto, Baliuag, Plaridel, Pulilan, Sta. Maria and Mey—cauayan, and the capital city of Malolos.

The coalition of transport groups has asked schools in Bulacan to suspend classes today in support of their strike, he said. — Sheila Crisostomo, James Mananghaya