August 15, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Police and transport groups were at a standoff yesterday as protesters tried to enter the city of Manila for the start of the three-day strike against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).
Around 600 members of transport groups Manibela and Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) gathered at Welcome Rotonda during the morning rush hour, according to a report from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The MMDA counted 30 jeepneys that clogged the road surrounding Welcome Rotonda, particularly in the westbound section going to Manila.
Aside from their vehicles, personnel and mobiles from the Manila Police District also blocked entry to Manila by members of the transport groups that carried placards and banners.
The standoff caused traffic jams that reached as long as five kilometers near the area of a mall along Quezon Avenue past 9 a.m., the MMDA reported.
PISTON national president Mody Floranda slammed the Marcos administration for failing to meet the demands of transport workers.
He noted that the current public utility vehicle modernization program does not benefit transport workers or commuters, but only corporations who supply the modern jeeps.
“The PUVMP does not aim to fix commuter services nor help the operators in their businesses. It rather gives corporations more leeway to supply these ‘mini-buses,’” Floranda said.
He also questioned the success of the modernization program as there are only about 12,000 modernized units nationwide compared to the almost 150,000 traditional jeepneys still in service.
MMDA acting Chairman Romando Artes slammed Manibela and PISTON, which repeatedly claimed their previous transport strikes were a “success” because of the deployment of free rides using government vehicles to transport stranded commuters.
Artes maintained the success of the transport strike should not be measured in the deployment of free rides from government vehicles.
The rallies of the transport groups were relatively peaceful, according to the National Capital Region Police Office.
The NCRPO deployed 5,407 police officers to ensure the rallies were peaceful.
President Marcos on Aug. 8 thumbed down the suspension of the modernization program despite a Senate resolution calling for its review.
Manibela said that despite the jeepney modernization being postponed seven times, there are still no clear guidelines on the operation of traditional jeepneys.— Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas
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