DESPITE the assurance that 94 percent of jeepney drivers are not joining the transport group strike, the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has prepared several contingencies to help commuters who will be affected by the disturbance.
During the Inter-Agency meeting presided by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra Friday, various concerned government agencies came out with contingencies to lessen the effects of the transport group strike that will start on March 6, a Monday.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reported that only about 6 percent of the public utility vehicles (PUVs) nationwide are expected to join the transport strike.
On Wednesday, President Marcos said the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) is necessary but its implementation needs more discussions among its stakeholders, particularly jeepney drivers groups.
The President said that while he sees the need to modernize public utility vehicles, proper program implementation is necessary.
Among the efforts of the government are the deployment of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel to monitor the situation on the ground as well as maintain peace and order in the affected areas and routes.
The PNP has also been instructed to mobilize its regional assets to give assistance to those who will be affected by the transport strike, deploying at least 41 transport vehicles to ferry commuters to their destinations.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will give concerned agencies, such as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the PNP, a command center which shall help facilitate the monitoring of the status of traffic in the areas affected by the strike.
The MMDA, PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which will also be mobilizing around 106 of its transport vehicles to help commuters, will be coordinating with each other in monitoring the situation on the ground.
The MMDA and the DOTr will also be closely coordinating for the possible suspension of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila during the strike.
The DOTr and the LTFRB have reiterated to transport groups that the consolidation requirements under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) have been moved from June 30, 2023 to December 31 this year.
Based on reports, Manibela, a transport and party-list group, is the only UV Express (UVE) transport organization that would stage the transport group strike in the National Capital Region in protest of the LTFRB guidelines on the end of consolidation of the PUVMP.
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