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Manibela says PH facing 'transport crisis' as jeepney drivers refuse to ply routes

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Andrea Taguines, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Transport group MANIBELA begins their transport strike in Manila, in time with PISTON" s="" transport="" strike="" on="" November="" Mark="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/11/28/20231122-jeepney-transport-strike-md2.jpg"/><figcaption>Transport group MANIBELA begins their transport strike in Manila, in time with PISTON&#x27;s ongoing transport strike on November 22, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Almost a week after transport group Manibela officially ended its three-day transport strike, many of its members are supposedly still refusing to get back on the road.</p><p>In a press briefing on Tuesday, Manibela president Mar Valbuena said he was surprised to learn that at least 30,000 jeepney units in Metro Manila alone did not ply their routes today. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/17/23/ltfrb-asks-jeepney-drivers-call-off-transport-strike">LTFRB asks jeepney drivers to call off transport strike</a></li></ul><p>He added that many of their members across Central Luzon and the Calabarzon also did not operate, triggering what he described as a transport crisis in several areas.</p><p>“Sa pagtaya natin ang buong NCR, Central Luzon at Region 4A, karamihan dito ay hindi pa rin bumabalik. Katunayan, sa Quezon City, maraming ruta ang na-paralyze ngayon. At biglang naglabas kaninang umaga ng mga anunsyo ng libreng sakay... May kinakaharap tayong transport crisis ngayon,” said Valbuena.</p><p>“Kung magpapatuloy po ito, hindi lamang ang pasok ng ating mga estudyante ang maaapektuhan, lalong lalo na po ang ating ekonomiya,” he added.</p><p>According to Valbuena, eight local government units have already invited members from Manibela’s local chapter for talks on how to address the current lack of public transportation in their respective areas. </p><p>These are Parañaque, Pasig, Marikina, Santa Rosa City and Cabuyao City in Laguna, Calumpit and Malolos in Bulacan, as well as local officials from Mabalacat, Pampanga.</p><p>Valbuena earlier said that many Manibela jeepney drivers and operators already want to quit their livelihood out of frustration after the Department of Transportation asserted that the franchise consolidation process is a non-negotiable first step for the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/21/23/jeepney-operators-share-nightmare-about-consolidation">Jeepney operators share &#x27;nightmare&#x27; about consolidation</a></li></ul><p>But jeepney drivers and operators fear that they would be on the losing end if they were to surrender their individual franchise to a cooperative or a corporation.</p><p>Valbuena also said that some members were further enraged after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) downplayed the impact on the public transportation system if they were to permanently quit.</p><p>“Yung laging na lang sinasabing walang epekto yung transport strike. Siguro marahil doon sa nagsasalita, tagapagsalita ng LTFRB, mga nasa DOTr, MMDA, mga nasa gobyerno, maaaring kayo po ang hindi nakakaramdam nito dahil maghapon nasa loob kayo ng opisina, malamig, at meron kayong mga pribado at kanya-kanyang sasakyan. Ang taumbayan po ang nakakaramdam nito, ang siyang naaapektuhan nito,” he said.</p><p>To resolve the transport crisis, Valbuena said they want transport officials to heed their demands such as extending the validity of their franchise. </p><p>LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III also earlier said that he was considering implementing a joint franchise ownership between the owner of the PUV unit and the cooperative but Valbuena said they would first need to see that in writing too.</p><p>“Kung maglalabas sila ng memorandum circular na ipa-papel nila ito, black and white, may pinanghahawakan tayo na yung ownership na ito ay kasama kami. Dahil yung mga kooperatiba at korporasyon, hindi ito pumipirma at nagbibigay ng karapatan na after namin mabayaran itong mga units na ito ay mapupunta sa amin,” he said. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2880201" width="100%"></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><div><strong>YEAR-END TRANSPORT STRIKE LOOMS</strong></div><p>Manibela and transport group PISTON, which also held a separate transport holiday last week, are now in talks to hold a simultaneous strike before the end of the year if the government still fails to hear them out.</p><p>“Kagabi magkasabi po kami ni PISTON, dini-discuss namin yung mga posibildad na magkaroon ng mas malaki pang transport strike. Kasi yung ibang nasa FEJODAP (Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines), ACTO (Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations) at Pasang Masda, sumapi na po sa amin para dito sa mga susunod pang tigil-pasada,&quot; Valbuena said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/20/23/dotr-seeks-dialogue-with-transport-groups">DOTr seeks dialogue with transport groups over strike, modernization</a></li></ul><p>“Bago matapos itong taon, definitely, meron. Or depende kung ano yung magiging kalalabasan nung Memorandum Circular (ng LTFRB), kung papabor ba sa atin ito o hindi,&quot; he added.</p><p>Meanwhile, the LTFRB said in a statement said it would deploy its standard operating procedure (SOP) in case of another transport strike.</p><p>&quot;We will again deploy &#x27;libreng sakay&#x27; vehicles to ferry affected commuters. On the other hand, the LTFRB urges those joining the strike NOT to prevent other jeepney drivers from making a living as they need to provide their families and to our commuters,&quot; LTFRB spokesperson Celine Pialago said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2875897" width="100%"></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>

Manibela president Mar Valbuena said he was surprised to learn that at least 30,000 jeepneys in Metro Manila alone did not ply their routes on Tuesday. 

Manibela says PH facing 'transport crisis' as jeepney drivers refuse to ply routes

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Manibela says PH facing 'transport crisis' as jeepney drivers refuse to ply routes

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 28, 2023 07:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Manibela

transport strike

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LTFRB

puv modernization program

jeepney phaseout

transport crisis

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