President Rodrigo Duterte was disappointed over the ‘success’ of the two-day nationwide transport strike, the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) said, citing that the president himself had allowed it.
“Bakit nagagalit ang presidente at gusto nya ibenta natin sa junk shop ang ating jeep bago matapos ang taon? [Why is the president angry and wants to junk our jeepneys before the year ends?]” PISTON said in a Facebook post.
“Sinabi ito ng pangulo bumubula ang bibig sa galit dahil sa matagumpay na 2 days transport strike? Eh di ba sya ang nagsabi na mag strike muna ang Piston kahit 2 months na strike bibigyan pa niya daw tayo ng permit [The president said it angrily because of the success of the two-day transport strike. Remember he himself told us to hold strike even just for two months and he will even give us permit],” the group added.
Around 60 transport leaders in Metro Manila, and some in other parts of the country, held a transport strike on October 16 to 17, to appeal the junking of Duterte’s plan to phase out jeepneys through the ‘jeepney modernization program.’
Earlier, Duterte called on drivers and operators to upgrade their jeepneys by the end of the year or face arrest.
“Kaya [that’s why] I’ll give you until the end of the month or until the end of the year. Sumunod kayo because January 1 pag may makita ako diyan mga jeep ninyo na walang rehistro, hindi narehistro, luma, guguyurin ko yan sa harap ninyo [Abide because by January 1, if I see old, unregistered jeepneys, I will tow it in front of you],” he added.
“Aarestuhin ko talaga kayo. Believe me,” Duterte added.
[Read: Duterte warns ‘rebellious’ PUV drivers, operators of arrest]
However, the transport group hit back: “Tapos tsaka sya makikipag usap sa atin sa problema natin sa phase out. Eh bakit ngayon galit sya at minumura tayong mga driver at maliliit na operator dahil sa strike natin 2 days strike pa nga lang yun [Now he wants to deliberate with us about our problem over the phase out. Now he’s angry and cursing us drivers and small operators because of our strike].”
Duterte also pointed to United Nations statistics that lung cancer cases in the Philippines would triple by 2025 due to the carbon dioxide emissions from old engines, saying public vehicles produce a lot of fumes and carbon dioxide.
On Monday, Senator Grace Poe said that the two-day nationwide transport strike should serve as a wake-up call to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to hear the grievances of the jeepney drivers and operators.
[Read: Jeepney drivers, operators should be heard –Poe]
The senator also expressed her support for the modernization of the mass transport system; however, she said that the program should not result in the displacement of the jeepney drivers.
Poe added that the plan should be implemented with “transparent consultations” of stakeholders and all concerned parties as “unilateral decisions will prove counter-productive.”
“We support the genuine modernization of our mass transport system, including our jeepney fleets. However, we stand firm that any program to be implemented must be the outcome of transparent consultations from a broad range of stakeholders and must be equitable to all parties concerned,” she said.
“Modernization should not result in the displacement of jeepney drivers, who often belong to the country’s poor,” the senator added.
PISTON cautioned Duterte that they would stage monthly transport strikes if the president refuses to meet them for discusion on the public utility vehicle modernization program.
PISTON national president George San Mateo said they would hold more strikes in the coming months to show their continuous opposition to the program.