Nationwide transport strike set Sept. 30

MANILA, Philippines — Major transport groups will lead a nationwide strike on Sept. 30 to protest the proposed phaseout of jeepneys and UV Express service vehicles next year. 

Stop and Go Coalition, the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization are among those expected to participate in the strike.

Stop and Go president Jun Magno said their counterparts in the provinces would join the strike.

“Ang tanong ko diyan, anong problema sa UV. Sa jeep may reasons na konti, may bulok at mausok. Ang UV Express anong problema nila diyan?” he said in a phone interview. 

PISTON president George San Mateo said Memo 2019-13 issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board would put many operators of public utility vehicles in debt, noting that a unit of a Class 3 vehicle is between P2.3 to P2.6 million. 

In 2013, the government set a 13-year age limit for UV units.