Luzon Transport strike fails to paralyze provinces

MANILA – The first day of the scheduled weeklong transport strike on Monday against the national government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program was shunned by drivers in the provinces as they continue to ply the streets and with no reports of stranded passengers.

In Central Luzon, the strike was hardly felt in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bataan, Zambales, Aurora and Pampanga, according to Dan Yumol, chairman of the Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator and Confederation of the Passenger Transport of Central Luzon.

Most of the Pangasinan operators and drivers decided not to join but appealed to the national government to reconsider some provisions of the modernization law to remain.

In a phone interview, Alliance of United Transport Organization Province-wide Pangasinan chapter president Bernard Tuliao said the chairpersons of the transport groups in the province have decided to cancel the scheduled transport strike starting March 6.

BUSINESS AS USUAL. Pangasinan jeepney drivers continue with their business on Monday (March 6, 2023) amid a call for a weeklong transport strike. The groups, however, still appeal for reconsideration in the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Law.

"Most of the operators and drivers were already members of cooperatives so we thought if we join the strike, it might affect our permits or franchises later on," he said.

"We are appealing that they allow the rehabilitation of some of the traditional jeepneys as we believe the cost of the modernized jeepneys are so high that most of the drivers and operators could not avail. Despite the low-interest loan rates in banks, it is still too costly," Tuliao said.

Each unit of the modernized jeepneys costs around PHP2 million to PHP2.5 million, he said.

"We hope they will consider our appeals less we might also hold our own provincewide strike," he said.

Tuliao added that there are over 3,700 units of jeepneys with franchises in the province.

Four major transport groups in the Bicol Region did not take part due to a lack of consultation and even issued an early state -