2 transport groups set 'big-time' strike Aug 14

MANILA, Philippines, August 13 ------ A "big-time" nationwide transport strike has been set on Wednesday, according to a group of jeepney drivers and operators after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected the Senate's call to suspend the public transport modernization program (PTMP).

Modesto 'Mody' Floranda,' president of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operaytor Nationwide (Piston), told The Manila Times in Filipino that their 80,000-strong association would "cosolidate and mobilize its forces" across the country, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR), with the Samahang Manibela at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela). "We will not stop from exercising our constitutional rights. With or without permits, we would go on with our simultaneous nationwide transport strike on Wednesday," Floranda said.

PISTON's other officers echoed Floranda as they lamented how the President succumbed to the bidding of the "other side," in an apparent reference to concerned government agencies and other transport groups that pushed for the PTMP. "Instead of being fair to many poor jeepney drivers and operators, the President, outright, rejected the Senate's call. He is very unfair to many of us who also voted for him when he ran and won the presidency," the group leaders said.

Marcos had argued that the program had been postponed for seven times, reiterating that it was deliberate and its implementation carefully planned. "Eighty percent have already consolidated, so how can it be that the 20 percent will decide the fate of the 100 percent? We should listen to the majority and the majority says we should continue," the President was quoted as saying.

Source: manilatimes.net