Palace appeals to jeepney drivers, operators not to pursue transport strike

The Palace on Monday appealed to public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers and operators to forego their planned transport strike amid the unabated increase of oil prices in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Nanawagan kami sa mga tsuper at mga operator ng mga jeep na huwag ituloy ang kanilang planong tigil pasada ngayong linggo. Ginagawa ng inyong pamahalaan ang makakaya upang tulungan ang mga tsuper at mga operator sa gitna ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis," Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

(We call on PUJ drivers and operators to not pursue a transport strike. The government is exerting all effort to aid them amid the oil price increases.)

Andanar then said that the implementation of the government's fuel subsidy program is ongoing, with 180,000 PUJ operators already receiving such subsidy as of June 1 based on Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) records.

Oil prices have ranged from P70 to P80 per liter amid lingering armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Since then, economic sanctions involving cutting of gas pipelines have been slapped on Russia and its allies.

Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) president Ricardo "Boy" Rebaño earlier said jeepney drivers cannot keep up with the rising fuel costs and are now looking for other sources of income.

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), for its part, said these increases in the prices of petroleum products will greatly affect the transport sector considering that jeepney drivers nowadays only earn P300 per day after working for 12 to 18 hours.—AOL, GMA News