Police assist commuters as transport strike begins

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police deployed personnel and vehicles to assist commuters and maintain peace and order as transport group Manibela held the first of its three-day strike ahead of the beginning of Piston’s two-day strike beginning Tuesday.

The transport groups are protesting Monday’s fare hike which is below what they had sought as well as the fuel price increases they anticipated also that day.

But after three straight weeks of fuel price hikes, petroleum prices were rolled back by up to P7.57 per liter on Tuesday.

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Commuters nevertheless faced the double whammy of a transport strike and fare hike increases, as the minimum fare for traditional jeepneys was raised from P13 to P14 and for modern jeepneys from P15 to P17, with higher rates in succeeding kilometers.

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READ: Manibela kicks off 3-day transport strike vs fuel price hike

In a statement on Monday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered police units to increase their presence at transport terminals, major roads, convergence points, and other areas where passenger volume was expected to rise or disruptions could occur.

“Our police units are prepared to maintain peace and order while providing assistance to commuters who may be affected by the transport strike,” he said.

The PNP said its “Libreng Sakay” programs would also be deployed in coordination with local authorities to help commuters reach their destinations.

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READ: Palace defends fare hike as balance between PUV drivers, commuters

“We recognize the right to peaceful expression, and we will also protect commuters, motorists, drivers, transport workers, and the general public,” Nartatez said.

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Manibela will no longer push through with the two remaining days of its strike from Tuesday to Wednesday, the group said following a dialogue with Land Transportation Office chief Markus Lacanilao on Monday.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng nakiisa. Patuloy pa rin ’yung aming panawagan at protesta. Balik-pasada na kami bukas,” Manibela chair Mar Valbuena said.

Piston expects about 70,000 to 100,000 people to join its strike, including from workers groups and urban poor organizations.

Cebu City commuters

Despite the planned strike, Cebu City has not suspended face-to-face classes for Sept. 29 to 30.

The city government will still consult schools before deciding whether disruptions to public transportation warrant a class suspension.

Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff to Mayor Nestor Archival, said the city would first coordinate with schools on the possible impact of the transport strike on students and school schedules.

Siasar said the city could issue an advisory after the consultations.

Rollback this week

Amid Tuesday’s reinforced transport strike, diesel and kerosene prices were rolled back that day by up to P7.57 and P5.85 per liter, respectively.

Gasoline prices, however, dipped by only 24 centavos.

Rino Abad, director of the Oil Industry Management Bureau of the Department of Energy, said the improving supply situation, particularly in Saudi Arabia, has resulted in cooling global prices.

Saudi Arabia managed to resume its operations even after its pipeline was targeted by drone attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

France has also committed to deploying defense systems to protect Saudi Arabia, where massive crude oil loadings have helped boost global supply, pushing prices lower.

Last week, petroleum prices soared to as high as P8.80 per liter, with the biggest jump logged in diesel.

Transport sector ‘prioritized’

Piston said it would push through with its strike beginning on Tuesday, with its national president Mody Floranda saying “No threats can stop the people’s anger. The strike continues.”

In a briefing on Monday, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the government hoped the fare hike would convince transport groups to reconsider their protests, while noting that the sector has been prioritized for government assistance.

“The government has never disregarded the experiences of our transport sector stakeholders. That is why they were among those prioritized for assistance, including the fuel subsidy,” Castro said.

“The government’s only request is that we maintain balance in responding to this crisis, which the government did not cause. This is a crisis stemming from what is happening in the Middle East, so the government should not be blamed for rising fuel prices,” she added.

Despite earlier saying fare increases would be the “last resort” of the government to aid workers in the transport sector reeling from the increasing prices of fuel, President Marcos still gave the green light for the Department of Transportation to lift the suspension of the fare hikes that should have taken effect in March.

“The fares had to be increased because the conflict in the Middle East has not stopped,” Castro said, noting that Mr. Marcos recognizes the burden PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers and operators are experiencing and feeling.

The fare hike approved “may not be at the amount they wanted, but at a price or amount that is reasonable so that our other fellow Filipinos will not be overly burdened,” she said.

“We know that many people will be burdened by the fare increase, but there also needs to be a balance for the welfare of those in the transport sector and our commuters. It cannot be that only one group wins,” Castro added.

Not enough for a candy

But according to Floranda, the fare increase was insufficient to offset the rising cost of fuel.

“You can’t even buy a piece of candy for one peso anymore, yet they’re giving us a P1 fare increase,” he said.

“Our diesel expenses will reach P3,000. But the additional income we will earn from 200 passengers a day is only P200,” he added.

Piston said its strike would be held in various parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, as well as in Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Bacolod, Cebu, General Santos, Legazpi and Baguio.

The group identified Cubao-Westpoint corner Aurora as its main protest center in the National Capital Region.

Other designated sites include E. Rodriguez-Araneta, Novaliches, Taft, Tondo, Monumento, Navotas, Pasig, Cainta, Baclaran, Alabang, Sucat, Las Piñas, Philcoa, Sta. Mesa, Litex and Sampaloc.

“Enough of Marcos’ incompetent, inadequate and superficial response to the crisis,” Floranda said.

“He should expect us to meet him with bigger protests and strikes, not only on Sept. 29-30, but until we get what rightfully belongs to the people,” he added.

Piston called on the government to remove the value-added tax and excise on all oil products, especially diesel and gasoline, to immediately bring down prices of fuel.

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It also demanded that the government scrap the oil deregulation law and roll back fuel prices to P55 per liter—the level before the start of the Middle East crisis in February before major escalations in the Middle East conflict drove prices significantly higher. —With reports from Lisbet K. Esmael, Mary Joy Salcedo, and Pia Piquero