Transport holiday strands thousands in MM

MANILA, Philippines - The second transport strike in a month left at least 7,000 commuters stranded in various parts of Metro Manila after drivers of passenger jeepneys yesterday protested the planned phaseout of old commuter vehicles.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) member Aileen Lizada said they assisted over 7,000 passengers as of 5:10 p.m. during the strike by members of the No Jeepney Phaseout Coalition, led by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston).

Lizada said they also received reports of harassment and threats of strikers to drivers who refused to join the mass action in several areas in Manila, Quezon City and Makati.

There were also reports of some people throwing metal spikes on the road in Guadalupe, Makati.

Despite the claims of success made by the transport groups, Lizada said the strike only affected less than one percent of the total five million daily commuters in Metro Manila.

Piston president George San Mateo earlier said they had paralyzed about 80 percent of passenger jeepneys in the National Capital Region.

However, Lizada said that the number of assisted passengers is only equivalent to 355 jeepney trips and there are 85,554 jeepneys in Metro Manila.

The LTFRB official again defended the government’s plan to modernize the transport system, including jeepneys, despite the criticisms from some groups.

“You don’t like modernization, what do you want? How many more deaths do you want to see on the road? How many more injuries do you want to see on the road for you to be convinced that the only way for us to go is to modernize,” Lizada said.

She added that they have just finished the third meeting with a technical working group to craft a package for jeepneys in the administration’s three-year modernization program.

The LTFRB is adamant that they will penalize jeepney operators and drivers who took part in the latest strike but those concerned could face suspension or revocation of their franchises.

The regulatory board has set a hearing for March 8 and 9 over the transport strike yesterday and another strike held last Feb 6.