MANILA, Philippines — No passengers were stranded on the first day of the nationwide transport strike yesterday, according to the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
“There are many passengers on the road, but fewer jeepneys because of the traffic. These are regular traffic scenes on a Monday, not stranded commuters,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said. “Hopefully, no passengers will be affected during the two-day strike.”
Local disaster response personnel and the police also reported that no passengers were stranded in Metro Manila.
Areas affected by the strike were monitored by an inter-agency committee composed of the LTFRB, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Department of Transportation.
Free rides were provided to commuters by the MMDA.
Guadiz maintained that public utility vehicles that failed to comply with the consolidation requirement are considered colorum or illegal PUVs.
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza II said unconsolidated jeepneys can be registered as private vehicles.
Paralyzed
Manibela claimed that the transport strike paralyzed parts of the country yesterday.
Several passengers in Central Luzon, Region 4, Baguio City, the Visayas and parts of Mindanao were stranded, Manibela president Mar Valbuena said.
Class suspensions were declared by schools and local government units, he said.
Valbuena asked the LTFRB to issue a memorandum circular allowing unconsolidated PUVs to continue operating.
Contrary to the LTFRB’s statement that 83 percent of PUVs have consolidated, Piston president Mody Floranda said 244 routes in Metro Manila and 2,600 routes nationwide did not comply with the public transport modernization program (PTMP).
SC petition
Piston urged the Supreme Court (SC) to expedite the resolution of its petition for a temporary restraining order against the PTMP.
Piston legal counsel Kristina Conti filed a motion to resolve its petition, saying this would save jeepney operators, drivers and commuters from “further damage.”
The group noted that many drivers have sold their jeepneys for scrap and surplus parts, citing the high costs in the consolidation of franchises.
Instead of modernizing PUVs, Sen. Grace Poe said the government seemed to be pushing for marginalization.
Poe said a majority of jeepney drivers and operators do not have financial means to keep up with the “expensive PTMP.” — Ghio Ong, Daphne Galvez, Cecille Suerte Felipe