An estimated 2,000 members of transportation groups PISTON and MANIBELA will be joining the two-week tigil pasada, which will begin tomorrow Dec. 18, according to MANIBELA Chairperson Mar Valbuena.
Interviewed during DZRH’s Huntahan on Sunday, Dec. 17, Valbuena said they would continue to voice out their opposition against the Dec. 31 consolidation deadline under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“Sa buong Pilipinas, hindi bababa sa 2,000 pa na tumututol dito sa consolidation, at kahit yung mga nakapag-consolidate ay tutol dito dahil natakot at napilitan lamang sila,” he said.
Mar Valbuena, Chairperson, Manibela, sa 2-week transport strike: Sana mapakinggan tayo ng Pangulo na 'yong ating mga kasamahan ay 'wag magpasko nang walang kakainin sa kanilang hapag-kainan sa kbawat pamilya.#Huntahan#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) December 17, 2023
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Around 150,000 drivers, according to the MANIBELA jeep, have yet to comply with the mandated consolidation. Valbuena confirmed that these unconsolidated drivers would not be permitted to resume their operation in January 2024.
He then clarified that they are not against the modernization per se, saying that some of their jeepneys successfully modernized through rehabilitation.
“Ang MANIBELA po ay hindi namin, kahit kelan, sinabi na kami ay tutol sa modernization. Actually, kung mapupuntahan lang ang aming mga garehe, marami na ang nag-modernize sa pagmamagitan ng pag-rehabilitate,” the MANIBELA chairperson said.
Valbuena said that these newly-rehabilitated jeepneys follow the standards as there are installted doors, closed-circuit television, navigator, and PWD-friendly.
“Pero hindi ito napapansin ng ating gobyerno. Ang isinusulong kasi nila na modernisasyon ay yung halos tatlong milyon na halaga, hindi makatiwran kasi sa halagang ₱700,000 [ay] napaka-ganda na jeepney itong modernize, ” he stressed.
The MANIBELA chairperson argued that they are against the consolidation because they do not want to give up their franchises and be controlled by one operator.
“Kapag sinurrender mo ang iyong prangkisa, sila lang ang may hawak at may control nito. Napaka-hirap na kami ang may-ari tapos iba ang may control ng aming sari-sariling sasakyan,” he underscored.
The two-week transport strike is expected to end by Dec. 29.
