PISTON to lead 2-day nationwide strike, protest on March 19-20

By Nash Villena, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
March 18, 2026

(Photo courtesy: Piston: Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — The scheduled nationwide transport strikes and mass protests by transport group PISTON and sectoral groups on Thursday and Friday, March 19-20, are set to fully proceed following President Ferdinand Marcos’s recent suspension of the PUV fare hike.

PISTON stressed that the president’s last-minute withdrawal of the already insulting PHP 1 fare hike is an added insult to the injury for drivers and operators in their dire situation.

“Insulto na nga ang P1.00 fare hike sa mga tsuper, binawi pa ni Marcos. Pero hinahayaan lang ang garapal na overpricing at pananamantala ng Shell, Caltex, at Petron sa krisis na dala ng gera ng US,” PISTON said, arguing that cartels and oil companies are the lead beneficiaries of the current crisis.

MANIBELA similarly expressed its disappointment with the Marcos administration’s ineffective action plan to alleviate the hardships experienced by vulnerable people like them in the transport sector.

It noted that indecisive planning amid rising prices of oil and petroleum products and their effects on basic goods is further adding to the burden on ordinary Filipinos.

“Ang biglaang pagsuspinde sa nakatakdang taas-pasahe ay isang hakbang na malinaw na nagpapakita ng kawalan ng plano, kahandaan at malasakit sa gitna ng lumalalang krisis sa transportasyon,” it said.

“Ang resulta ay patuloy na nalulugi ang mga tsuper at operator habang lalong nahihirapan ang mga pasahero at manggagawa. Ang ganitong laban-bawi na patakaran ay hindi simpleng kalituhan, ITO AY DIREKTANG PAGPAPABAYA!”

In a separate statement, the GABRIELA national women’s alliance said its members fully support the slated transport strikes, underscoring that the transport sector’s fight also resonates with the challenges faced by the majority of women who are dealing with the crisis.

“Wala na ngang kita, abonado pa! Talagang gutom at kahirapan ang aabutin hindi lang ng mga drayber, kundi ng buong pamilyang binubuhay nito,” GABRIELA stated.

“Si nanay ang unang hindi kakain para matiyak na may kakainin ang mga anak, pampamasahe at pambaon ang mga batang papasok sa eskwela, mabayaran ang mga bills at iba pang gastusin ng tahanan,” it added, appealing to the Marcos administration to heed their demands that they’ll take to the streets.

The groups participating in the mass movements will collectively voice the removal of value-added tax (VAT), excise taxes, the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law, and the end of the US-Israeli-led war on Iran.