PUBLIC vehicle drivers here and elsewhere in Region 10 opted not to take part in a nationwide public transport strike scheduled yesterday and today.
But Joel Gabatan, president of the National Confederation of transport Union (NCTU) in northern Mindanao, said public transport organizations here were planning for a much bigger strike on June 5 and June 6 in time for the opening of classes.
One of their demands is for government to stop the phaseout of old public jeepneys. The government plans to phase out vehicles used for public transportation that are 15 years old or older by 2018 under the “Public Transport Modernization Program.”
Gabatan said the NCTU decided not to participate in the so-called “public transport caravan” organized by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) ahead of the planned public transport strike in June.
Last year, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and transportation committee chairperson Rep. Cesar Sarmiento filed House Bill 4334 (Traffic Crisis Act of 2016).
They cited HB 4334 as an “urgent, immediate and comprehensive response to the traffic crisis that is prevalent in the Metropolitan Manila Area, Metropolitan Cebu and Metropolitan Davao.”
Transport groups planned staging the strike this week, fearing HB 4334 promotes phaseout of jeepneys aged 15 years and older. (with reports from pna)
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