THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Sunday said it is ready for Monday’s protest action by a group of jeepney drivers and operators against the reported phaseout of old passenger jeepneys.
MMDA acting Chairman Tim Orbos said a total of 4,800 soldiers, policemen and nonuniformed personnel from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Coast Guard, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Office for Transportation Security and the MMDA will be deployed to maintain peace and order, as well as ferry stranded commuters during the strike.
Orbos said the agency has set contingency measures in place, including the dispatch of 100 private buses, 85 government vehicles, 50 motorcycles and two vessels to ferry stranded passengers in case the strike succeeds.
There will be free rides on the government buses and trucks. The private buses, however, will collect minimal fares.
Orbos said the government will provide all the needed services and manpower to make sure that the commuting public will not be inconvenienced by the protest action.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (Acto) said it will not participate in the planned transport strike.
Efren A. de Luna, Acto chairman and national president, said Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade assured his group in a dialogue on December 21, 2016, that there will be no phaseout of old jeepneys.
“Nilinaw ni Secretary Tugade sa naganap na dialogue na dinaluhan din ng ibang mataas na opisyal ng DOTr na walang magaganap na phaseout. Imbes, ito ay modernization at ito ay gradual o unti-unting palitan. Ang hindi na kumikita dahil sa kalumaan ay papalitan ng bagong unit at kung maganda naman ang body ay makina na lamang ang papalitan na walang ilalabas na pera ang operator,” de Luna said in a statement.
Likewise, George San Mateo of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide said the group will not also participate in the said protest action because its leaders and members are holding a national council until February 7.
However, San Mateo said, his group will picket the LTFRB office in Quezon city or DOTr in Mandaluyong City on Monday. He said the group is also planing to conduct a protest action in the coming days.
“Meanwhile, we symphatize po sa magsasagawa ng tigil pasada sa Lunes. Nagagalak kami na dumarami and lumalaban sa jeepney phaseout,” San Mateo said.
Earlier, the transport group Stop and Go Coalition said about 74,000 jeeps and thousands of UV Express vehicles will participate in the nationwide protest, which will be held in Metro Manila and nearby provinces on February 6.
The strike is in protest against the government’s order calling for the phaseout of dilapidated jeepneys.