Nationwide strikes loom MCL students

Nationwide Strikes: “Hunger Games” for Commuting MCL Students

BY JOSHUA MARFIL

The students of Malayan Colleges Laguna expressed sentiments of stress and hassled experiences over the year regarding transport strikes opposing the modernization of public utility vehicles. Despite the multiple announcements to avoid undesirable situations, the students endured what some say are the worst days of “commuting”. As early as February, jeepney drivers held a nationwide strike that crippled and nearly paralyzed the transportation system in cities across the nation, standing firm against the PUV modernization program. Members of Pinagkaisahang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide or PISTON threatened fellow jeepney drivers who were not taking part in the strike to join. In the following months, the same group as well as supporting militant groups went on other nationwide strikes, most recently on the 16th and 17th of October. Because of this, time and again, the students of MCL had to persevere on the days of the strikes when attending their classes. There were some occasions that classes were suspended in the afternoon, which posed a dilemma for some of the students on getting home safely. Some students claim that they had to pay almost double the regular fare when commuting via tricycle transportation. This includes Pauline Cañelas, a third year Civil Engineering student who claims that she had difficulties on her way home and took the offer of double the fare of the tricycle drivers. But despite the efforts, there have been reports of PISTON blocking tricycle drivers and forcing some of the passengers off the vehicle. Others had to walk home while others had to wait until the strike passed, which the students openly expressed as a waste of valuable time. According to some accounts, jeepney drivers working on the days of the nationwide strike had their vehicles filled in an instant, as people rushed to get a seat.

During the time of the strike, there were some students coming from far locations such as Muntinlupa, Los Baños, and others. Some of the students were not able to attend their classes since they were not able to find any jeepneys for a long drive while others were anticipating announcements of classes cancellations which, at times, were not declared. Danielle Abrenica, a fourth year Multimedia Arts student, was coming from Manila, when she experienced first-hand what it was like during the strikes in one of the most densely populated cities in the Philippines. During the time when traffic was expected to be agreeable, vehicles escalated quickly to a near-stopping condition due to multiple deployment of buses to cope with the lack of PUV’s. Passengers were getting off and getting on LRT trains, which she claims were full with commuters as early as 5 o’clock in the morning. According to some, for such a serious matter, the institution or regional official in charge should be able to make appropriate decisions based on witness accounts and concerns of the residents.

The students of MCL understand the situation of the jeepney drivers and where they are coming from, expressing sympathy and understanding. But these students believe they are going about it the wrong way. A show of brute force and stubbornness may have postponed the program, but not the decision to push through with it. The students believe that for the nation to grow as a whole, the jeepney drivers need to understand that progress and development is not without sacrifices, and that modernization is a step towards a better future.