Transport group MANIBELA joins the three-day nationwide transportation strike, spearheaded by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), which started today, Nov. 20.
According to RH Christian Maño's report during DZRH Damdaming Bayan, MANIBELA President Mar Valbuena confirmed that an estimated 1,000 jeepney drivers in Caloocan, Marikina, and Maynila have stopped their trips.
"May pinadala tayong contigency sa doon tatlong strike center. Pinatigil na natin yung tatlong grupo natin doon sa ngayon. Monumento, San Andres, Bukid, and Marikina. Siguro more or less nasa isang libong miyembro [ang lumahok sa tigil pasada]," he told Maño in an phone interview.
Valbuena said that MANIBELA and PISTON have one goal in mind — oppose the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), particularly the Dec. 31 deadline for franchise consolidation applications.
JUST IN: Manibela, lalahok na sa transport strike ng PISTON; nasa 1,000 tsuper sa Caloocan, Manila at Marikina, tumigil sa pasada | via @xtian_mano, DZRH News pic.twitter.com/GanuflYEC0
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) November 20, 2023
On Sunday, Nov. 19, MANIBELA first hinted that it would join the three-day tigil pasada.
"The Green Light is ON. MANIBELA 🇵🇠ON STRIKE! As Planned We Will Push Thru! Details To Follow, Please Standby," it said in a Facebook post.
"Mga ka MANIBELA 🇵🇠kung ano yung plano mag stick tayo duon. Hindi napuputol ang kuminikasyon natin sa ating kapatid na Piston! May mga kasamahan tayo sa 3 strike center sa ngayon bilang reinforcement," the transport group stated in another Facebook post on Monday.
