Bus drivers protest delayed P20 million salaries

MANILA, Philippines — Bus drivers and conductors plying the EDSA bus carousel held a protest in Quezon City yesterday to seek the immediate release of their salaries under the government’s “Libreng Sakay” program.

The transport workers under ES Consortium said their salaries amounting to P20 million have been delayed since May last year.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said bus companies would be sanctioned if it is proven that they failed to pay the drivers and conductors.

LTFRB executive director Kristina Cassion said while the agency cannot force transport operators to pay their bus drivers, sanctions may be imposed on them.

The LTFRB denied allegations that they had been colluding with the transport consortium.

“We have disbursed a sizeable amount under the service contracting program of the government. For the ES Consortium, we disbursed P672.69 million and we released P559.52 million to the Mega Manila Consortium,” Cassion said in an interview on dzBB.

ES Consortium admitted the delay in the payment of salaries, attributing it to the alert level status changes and layers of bureaucracy within the consortium.

LTFRB Metro Manila director Zona Tamayo said the transport workers may file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Employment.