8,600 commuters avail of 'libreng sakay' in Manila during Day 1 of transport strike
MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of commuters were serviced by the City of Manila during the first day of the weeklong "tigil-pasada" protests waged by drivers and operators of traditional jeepney and UV Express against the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
"The City of Manila has served a total of 8,634 passengers on its first day of operations," said the Manila Public Information Office, Tuesday.
"More than 300 transport vehicles deployed on different routes in the city provided free transportation from 5AM to 10AM and 4PM to 10PM."
Thousands of jeepney drivers and operations joined the nationwide transport strike on Monday. PISTON said this resulted in paralysis in some routes, but the government downplayed the impacts of the strike and said their contigency measures worked in helping commuters.
The strike is being waged to call for the scrapping the "expensive" modernization program of the government that will push individual franchisees to consolidate into a fleet management system, forcing them to purchase 15 modern minibuses per designated route. Transport groups say that one vehicle costing up to P2.8 million in favor of traditional jeeps that could go as low as P200,000 a piece.
"The local government's assistance will continue until Saturday, March 11, which was the announced end of the transport strike," said the Manila PIO.
Among those that services commuters in the country's capital are the following:
- Manila Traffic & Parking Bureau
- Manila Police District
- Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
Passengers from the City of Manila could benefit from free rides in the following affected routes, and vice versa:
- Vito Cvruz Taft Ave - Quezon Blvd.
- Espana Blvd. - Welcome Rotonda
- UN Taft Ave. - R. Papa Rizal Ave.
- Recto Ave. - SM Sta. Mesa
- UN Taft Ave. - P. Ocampo St.
- Monumento Rizal Ave. - Divisoria
- Buendia Taft Ave. - Divisoria
- Buendia Taft Ave. - Monumento Rizal Ave.
- Buendia Taft Ave. - Welcome Rotonda
While the City of Manila and other local government units continue to give free rides during the strike, the Presidential Communications Office earlier stated that there was "no disruption" except in a handful of Metro Manila areas.
The local government of Malabon earlier stated that around 3,000 passengers were given free rides to their destinations on Monday.
The strikes are said to continue until March 12 as long as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board doesn't revoke its memorandum circular outlining the consolidation requirements for operators.
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