Jeepney drivers set up 'strike centers' in Metro

Militant jeepney drivers and operators have set up "strike centers" in Metro Manila to encourage the public to participate in their transport strike this Thursday. The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) appealed to the public Wednesday to support their cause. "Instead of going to the office or school, just go to the strike and rally centers and join our fight against the unjustifiable oil price hikes staged by the unholy alliance between the oil cartel and this government," Piston secretary general George San Mateo said in Filipino on dzRH radio. San Mateo said that while the transport strike started a day early in Iloilo and Aklan, the protest will be in full swing around the country at 1 a.m. Thursday. San Mateo said strike centers were already in place in the Camanava (Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela) area, Alabang, Novaliches, Cubao, Kalayaan-corner-Kamias in Quezon City, Philcoa, Aduana Circle near Pier in Manila, Pacita Complex and San Pedro-Alabang. He assured that Piston will not harass members of other transport groups who will not join the strike. "Our principle is to make this voluntary. We will not force anyone to join us," he said. The Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organizations-Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (PCDO-ACTO) and the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) have said they will not join Piston's action. Interviewed separately on dzBB radio, PCDO-ACTO head Efren de Luna and Fejodap head Zenaida Maranan said they are waiting for Malacañang to act on their concerns. In Manila, the police said it is keeping watch over the strike and readying for possible violence, including the laying down of spikes on the road to harass jeepney drivers. Radio dzBB reported that law enforcers have also been deployed to watch the oil depot in the city's Pandacan district to prevent any act of "sabotage." - GMANews.TV