100,000 expected to join transport strike next week - PISTON

Metro Manila, November 17 ------ Around 100,000 jeepney drivers and operators are expected to join the three-day transportation strike next week that will be led by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON), the group’s leader said. “Kasama rin ang iba’t ibang local associations at iba’t ibang federations na nagpaabot na sila ay makikiisa,” PISTON national president Mody Floranda told CNN Philippines’ The Source.

He also said PISTON has asked other transport groups to join the protest, but they have yet to respond. PISTON will hold a nationwide strike from Nov. 20 to 22 to protest the Dec. 31 deadline for the franchise consolidation of the government's public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program. Floranda explained PISTON is not against modernizing the transport industry. What they are against is the way the program is being implemented. He said if the government really wants to improve the transport sector, it should focus on rehabilitating it. A local industry that will produce jeepneys should also be established instead of tapping foreign manufacturers, he added.

PISTON earlier said the franchise consolidation deadline is a "scheme" that may result in monopoly of few big fleet managers. The group warned that the majority of jeepney operators are at risk of being displaced as around 80% of jeepney operators in the country only own one unit. Floranda pointed out that if majority of jeepney drivers will be unable to ply the roads, employees will not be able to go to work, which will affect the country’s economy.

Source: cnnphilippines.com