Strike against jeepney phaseout a success, paralyzes 90% of

public transportation in Davao

DAVAO CITY - Transport group Transmision-Piston, a local affiliate of Pinagkaisang

Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide or PISTON and labor group Kilusang
Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao jointly declared the transport strike a resounding
success, claiming 90% paralyzation of public transportation in Davao City. Similar
transport strikes launched in Panabo City and Tagum, Davao del Norte by jeepney
and tricycle drivers were also declared a success, paralyzing 70% of public
transportation.

The October 16 nationwide transport strike, which began at 4:00 in the morning, was
formally declared a success in a press conference. However, the fight is not over yet,
as far as the organizers and participating groups are concerned.

According to Edwin Fernandez, secretary-general of Transmision-Piston, the success

of the strike even bolsters the need to conduct more mass actions and strikes in the
future.

The transport leader saluted and congratulated all the drivers, operators and
commuters who supported the strike, despite the national administration’s
counter-mobilization efforts suspending work and classes on all levels and public
offices and demonizing the groups involved.

“We know that the work and class suspensions, even the malicious tagging of the
strike as “destabilization attempts” were aimed at deterring the strike but it proved to
be an act of futility. In the end, even in Duterte’s home city, not even a national
holiday can contain the people’s growing rage against the jeepney phaseout which
will be the death of the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of drivers. The Duterte
administration must listen,” Fernandez added.

The transport leader said that drivers and operators in the Southern Mindanao
Region overwhelmingly oppose the PUV Modernization Program and the
Department Order 2017-11 or Omnibus Guidelines on the Planning and Identification
of Public Road Transportation and Franchise Insurance.

In Davao City, the group is opposing the implementation of the High Priority Bus
System (HPBS) which will replace the jeepneys plying the city’s thoroughfares.

The groups said that the HPBS is a double whammy to the drivers and operators
because aside from the phasing-out of their present jeepney units through the HPBS,
jeepneys in the city will be relegated to the routes in interior barangays and will no
longer be allowed the ply the main roads and thoroughfares in the city.

Kilusang Mayo Uno - SMR also called on workers and commuters in the region to
resist the corporatization and monopolization of the transportation industry.

Carl Antholy Olalo, secretary general of KMU-SMR, encouraged the commuting

public to study further the real intentions behind the modernization program, saying
that the promises of the modernization program are nothing but lies.

“The PUV Modernization Program of President Duterte and the High Priority Bus
System of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, are presented as modernization projects which
will have trickle-down benefits to commuters but are really pro-capitalist projects
which will benefit industry giants Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chrysler, General Motors and
other foreign companies. The rich will get richer while our drivers and operators will
be out of jobs,” the labor leader added.

“Participating in the strikes is an opportunity for us to show social solidarity with

workers in public transportation. We would also like to register to the public that
future transport strikes will be conducted again by the drivers and operators to
oppose the City Government/Mayor Inday Sara’s plan to implement the HPBS and
we seek the public’s consideration and support,” said Olalo.

For Reference:

Edwin Fernandez
Secretary-general, Transmision-Piston

Carl Anthony Olalo

Secretary-general, Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao
0912-386-1000