News Release

More transport groups oppose planned week-long transport group strike


More transport groups in Metro Manila and other parts of the country have expressed opposition to the planned week-long transport group strike.

In Metro Manila, 11 big jeepney and UV groups have strongly opposed the planned transport group strike by Manibela, an alliance of UV drivers and a partylist group.

Groups not joining the strike include the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NFTC), Alliance of Transport Operators’ & Drivers’ Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO), Pasang Masda (PM) Jeepney, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), Stop and Go Coalition, Senate Employees Transport Service Cooperative (SETSCO), UV Express National Alliance of the Philippines (UV Express) and ACTO NA CORP.

In Valenzuela City, seven transport groups have dissociated themselves with the transport strike organizers and vowed to ply their routes in the city, Mayor Wes Gatchalian reported.

These are the Jeepney ¬Operators and Driver Association (JODA), NOVADECI Transport Cooperative, Novaliches Malinta Jeepney Transport Cooperative (NMJTC), Malabon Jeepney Transport Cooperative (MAJETSCO), Blumentritt Transport Service Cooperative (BTSC), Metro Valenzuela Transport Coo¬perative (MVTC), Valenzuela Bignay Meycauayan Transport Cooperative and the KARTUJODA Transport Cooperative.

In Northern Mindanao, some 50 transport groups are not joining the transport group strike.

The Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Service Cooperative (NOMFEDTRASCO) a group comprising of almost 50 transport cooperatives from the five provinces in the Northern Mindanao, deny and oppose, as stated in their press statement, the call for nationwide transport strike.

The NOMFEDTRASCO expressed strong support behind Memorandum Circular 2023-013 and the PUV Modernization Program. It also denied affiliation with the MANIBELA.

In Region 9, the Federation of Land Transportation of Zamboanga (Feltranz), one of the largest unified jeepney organizations in Zamboanga City, confirmed that there will be NO TRANSPORT STRIKE in the city, amid the call for a nationwide transport strike.

In interviews made with some of the jeepney drivers in Zamboanga City revealed that they cannot afford to join the transport strike since they only make enough money in a week to cover their expenses.

Accordingly, participating in the strike is not nearly as crucial as the food that they need to bring to the table, according to officials of NOMFEDTRASCO.

In region 6, the Iloilo City Alliance of Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC) has opposed the call for a 7-day nationwide transport strike from March 6-12.

The ICAODTC, through its board secretary Rizalito Alido, expressed opposition against the proposed transport strike by asserting that enough time was provided for the transport groups and owners of public utility jeepneys/vehicles to consolidate their units and create a cooperative.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) assured the riding public that there will be NO fare increase for passengers who will be affected by the week-long transportation strike starting on March 6.

According to LTFRB, among the vehicles that the Agency has prepositioned are rescue buses on routes of Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) and UV Express with inadequate supply of public vehicles.

The LTFRB further ensured fares for ordinary rescue buses are the same as those paid for traditional jeeps.

Meanwhile, the charge for passengers riding in the air-conditioned rescue bus is similar to the fare charged in modern jeepneys.

Moreover, there will be prepositioned bus units that will offer free rides, should there be insufficient public transportation supply.

This move of the LTFRB aims to meet the needs of the public and ensure that passengers will not incur additional public transportation expenses despite the transport group strike. #