Manibela dismantles protest centers but maintains transport strike

MANILA, April 23 ------ Transport group Manibela said that organized protest centers have been dismantled, but the transport strike remains in effect as members pivot to completing necessary franchise paperwork.

Despite the absence of physical picket lines, the group’s chairman, Mar Valbuena, maintained that the strike is ongoing. He confirmed that many units remain off the road to allow drivers to comply with government requirements regarding route master lists. The decision stems from a need for members to consolidate their documents following new government requirements regarding route master lists.

According to Valbuena, the dismantling of strike centers is a practical move to ensure their members can keep driving in the long run. "Wala na pong mga strike centers ngayon pero nakatigil pa rin dahil may cocomply yung mga miyembro. Wala lang po kami ng mga protest centers pero nakatigil pa rin po yung mga miyembro," Valbuena explained. He clarified that the halt in operations is now less about picketing and more about compliance. "Pero ang order namin after nila ma-comply yung mga requirements na pinapa-submit, magbabalik biyahe na ulit yung mga kasama natin," he added.

The strike faced a bit of a logistical hurdle Wednesday when Manibela’s leadership was called away for a legal hearing. "Nagkataon naman kahapon, tigil lang kami kahapon kasi kaming mga officers, nagkaroon kami ng hearing. At tanghali na kasi kami nakapos, past 11 a.m. na," Valbuena noted. While the current strike has been lifted to accommodate administrative needs, the possibility of future protests remains on the table.

The group is keeping a close eye on the fluctuating cost of fuel, noting that the expected price drops aren't quite enough to ease the burden on drivers. When asked if another strike is in the works, Valbuena said it would largely depend on the movement of oil prices. He criticized the meager rollbacks, stating, “Depende yung sa pagbaba ng presyo ng krudo... parang 1.20 pesos lang yata next week. Mababa ito kaysa dun sa mga nauna. Kaya dapat alam natin na mas malaki tayong dapat na i-rollback."

For now, the focus remains on the master lists of routes said Valbuena.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com