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PISTON to join transport strike if demands unmet before 2023 SONA

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Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Jeepneys ply their route along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 7, 2023, amid transport group PISTON" s="" announcement="" of="" the="" week-long="" strike="" to="" continue.="" Mark="" ABS-CBN="" News="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/07/17/20230307-jeepney-strike-day-2-md-8.jpg"/><figcaption>Jeepneys ply their route along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on March 7, 2023, amid transport group PISTON&#x27;s announcement of the week-long strike to continue. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Transport group PISTON marched towards Malacanang to deliver the letter of their requests to the president on Monday morning. As soon as they reached the Mendiola Peace Arch, they were stopped by a barricade of police force. Mody Floranda explained to the police officers on site that they intended to submit a letter to the president enumerating their demands before his second State of the Nation Address slated on July 24.One of the demands is the revision of the controversial Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, which require the traditional jeepney operators to consolidate for easier purchase of modern jeepney units. However, some transport groups see this as a program favoring big corporations and LGUs who could afford to purchase modern units worth P2-3 million each.“Panawagan namin sana basahin at pag-aralan at isama sa darating na ikalawang SONA ng administration at ika-isandtaong panungungkulan niya na sana ay tignan niya ang kalagayn ng sektor ng transportasyon. Ang layunin natin ay para manatili ang kabuhayan ng mga driver at manatili ang mode ng public transport sa ating bansa,” Mody Floranda said.Floranda was then escorted by the police officers aboard the police mobile to deliver the letter to the Office of the President. Floranda came back to the rally site with a stamp from the Office of the President - as proof that it was received and will be delivered to the desk of the president.“Aabutin daw mga 30 minutes eh nasa table na ni BBM yung sulat namin,” Floranda said.However, PISTON warned that if their demands remain unmet before the delivery of the State of the Nation Address, they will hold a rally on the day of the speech, potentially leading to ‘paralyzation’ of some routes. The group could not, however, pinpoint which routes and how many of them will join the transport strike.“Bukas kami kung hindi pakikinggana ng demand ng ating sektor,” Floranda said.“Lalahok kami doon sa malalking marta rally. Syempre yuyng ating mga driver yung ma operator dyan lalahok yan. At pag lumahok yan sa SONA ay magkakaroon ng paralisasyon yan sa ruta. Kasi gusto naming itambol sa kongreso, sa ikalawang SONA ng BBM na harapin niya ang kalagayan ng mga driver at operator,” Floranda added.Floranda also said they are not threatened by LTFRB’s warning that the jeepney units joining the rally might have franchise cancelled.“Kino-condemn natina ng pananakot ng LTFRB kasi ang sa atin ang dapat na tugon ng gobyerno ng LTFRB ay pag-aralan kung bakit nga ba nagkakaron ng pagkilos yung ating hanay. Dahila ng nakatay dito ay kabuhayab, karapatan, at serbsyo bilang mamamayan,” Floranda said.<div>LTFRB READY TO APPREHEND</div>The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Body (LTFRB) warns that they will suspend or cancel the franchise of jeepneys that will be joining the transport strike.“Yung mga mag-strike. I will be there in the highway. We will have our cameras. Pag nakunan ng picture ang mga jeepney ninyo may show cause order kaagad kayo. Either you’re suspended or you get your franchise revoked. I mean business this time,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said.Guadiz said they will not back down in apprehending the jeepneys. They have also identified three key areas in Metro Manila where the transport groups, such as Manibela, plan to conduct the transport strike and might harass the other drivers.LTFRB during March’s transport strike only sent out warning to those who joined the protest.&quot;Parang sila nga ho yung nanakot (ngayon) dahil out of the blue na after two weeks ay mayroon kagad silang transpprt strike. Ang akon naman, meron kang prangkisa. May kontrata ka sa estado na gagamitin mo ang prangkisa yan sa iyong hanap buhay. Hindi para takutin ang estado,&quot; Guadiz said.LTFRB is also confident that the transport groups, who will go on strike on the 24th, will not be able to paralyze the streets of Metro Manila saying that the seven big transport groups will not be joining the strike.Last week, MANIBELA announced they will conduct a three-day nationwide transport strike or ‘tigil-pasada’ aiming to paralyze the streets on July 24-26. MANIBELA’s transport strike coincides with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s second State of the Nation Address on July 24.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/13/23/3-day-transport-strike-to-coincide-with-2023-sona">3-day transport strike to coincide with 2023 SONA</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fNZXdTyHxUA?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

PISTON warned that if their demands remain unmet before the delivery of the State of the Nation Address, they will hold a rally on the day of the speech.

PISTON to join transport strike if demands unmet before 2023 SONA

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PISTON to join transport strike if demands unmet before 2023 SONA

Jacque Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 17, 2023 04:49 PM PHT

Read More:

Transport strike

SONA

transport group

LTFRB

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PUV modernization

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