Transport strike ends after PISTON, Manibela meeting in Palace

The transport strike has ended with members of PISTON and Manibela poised to resume plying their routes on Wednesday.

According to a report on Saksi, this developed after PISTON president Mody Floranda and Manibela leader Mar Valbuena's meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday afternoon.

A tweet by GMA Integrated News' Joseph Morong showed Floranda and Valbuena met with officials including Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil, the former chair of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. 

Garafil's office confirmed the meeting where the leaders of the transport groups aired their grievances on the implementation of the modernization program.

On Facebook, Manibela declared there will be no phaseout. 

"Mananatili ang tinaguriang Hari ng Kalsada! Walang phaseout!" the post read.

(The King of the Road will stay! There will be no phaseout!)

Valbuena and Floranda expressed support for the program in a separate video posted by the PCO where they reiterated their appeal for the modernization program to continue "in ways where no one gets left behind, just, humane, and reasonable".

"Sa ganang ito, panghahawakan namin ang pahayag ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na bukas ang administrasyon sa pag-aaral at pagrebisa ng implementasyon ng PUV Modernization Program para mapanatili ang kabuhayan ng ating mga PUV drivers at operators," Valbuena said.

"Sa dahilang ito para magsimula ang diskurso, nagdesisyon ang aming grupo na ihinto ang transport strike kasama ang PISTON at magbalik-pasada na simula bukas," he added.

Valbuena also issued an apology to the affected commuters and thanked them for their understanding.

"Sa ating mga kasamahan, huwag po kayong mabahala. Sa ating pag-unlad at pagbabago, sisiguraduhin nating mananatili ang tinaguriang ‘Hari ng Kalsada’," he said.

For its part, the administration welcomed the transport groups' decision and said the President ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to utilize the December 31 extension for the franchise consolidation "to restudy the provisions of Department Order No. 2017-011 or the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines".

"Ito ay upang siguraduhin na naisaalang-alang ang bawat aspeto ng implementasyon ng programa, kabilang ang pagdinig sa mga hinaing ng ating mga driver at operator," the PCO said in a statement.

"Ayon na rin sa direktiba ng Pangulo, magsasagawa ang DOTr at ang LTFRB ng malalim at malawakang konsultasyon upang tiyakin na mas maging maayos ang pagpapatupad ng PUVMP at mabigyang-diin na ang sentro ng programang ito ay ang ating mga driver, operator, at lalong lalo na ang ating mga komyuter," it added.

Further, the PCO said the public transportation sector and the government share one goal -- to provide proper, comfortable, safe, and efficient services to all passengers.

The transport groups announced a week-long transport strike to press the government to do away with the PUV modernization program.

Under the modernization scheme, jeepney operators are enjoined to join cooperatives or corporations which will borrow from banks to buy modern jeepneys or mini-buses. 

The LTFRB earlier announced that traditional jeepneys and UV express units only had until June 30 to join cooperatives or corporations to modernize. The deadline has since been extended to December 31.

Floranda on Monday said the strike would continue until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes out with an executive order revoking the modernization program which aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles powered by more environment-friendly fuels.

Operators and drivers may apply for new franchises but as part of transport cooperatives. —NB, GMA Integrated News