Piston launches transport strike to stop soaring oil prices, taxes

MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) kicked off its two-day transport strike on Tuesday, calling on the government to halt the increase in fuel prices and provide jeepney drivers with “living wage.”

Jeepney drivers and operators in some strike centers in Metro Manila—such as Novaliches, Sucat, Alabang, and Las Piñas—started their demonstrations around 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Piston said their protest also aims to demand that the government abolish the value-added tax and excise tax on fuel products, roll back fuel prices to P55 per liter, and repeal the Oil Deregulation Law, which the group says allows oil companies to set fuel prices with little government control.

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The group said the P1 fare increase for traditional jeepneys, which took effect on Monday, is insufficient to provide drivers and operators a living wage amid the soaring fuel prices.

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Piston National President Mody Floranda earlier said that around 70,000 to 100,000 jeepney drivers and operators would join the nationwide demonstration.

He said that aside from strike centers in Metro Manila, protests would also be conducted in Bulacan, Pampanga, Baguio, Rizal, Naga, Sorsogon, Cebu, Panay, Iloilo, Bacolod City, Davao, and General Santos City.

READ: Piston to hold transport strike from Sept. 29 to 30

In a statement on Monday evening prior to the transport strike, Floranda denounced the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s warning that transport operators could compromise their franchises if most of their jeepneys do not operate during the strikes.

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“Kung totoong iginagalang ni Marcos ang karapatan naming magwelga, hinahamon namin siyang ibasura ang lahat ng batas na kontra welga at kontra protesta,” Floranda said.

(If Marcos truly respects our right to strike, we challenge him to scrap all anti-strike and anti-protest laws.)

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He then called on the abolishment of the Anti-Terrorism Law and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, among others.

“Kung hindi gagawin iyan ni Bongbong Marcos, e anak talaga siya ng diktador niyang ama. Like father, like son. Like father, like son din siyang takot sa welga at protesta ng mamamayan. Like father, like son din siyang mapapatalsik sa kinauupuan,” he added.

(If Bongbong Marcos does not do that, then he is truly the son of his dictator father. Like father, like son. Like father, like son, he is also afraid of strikes and protests by the people. Like father, like son, he will also be ousted from his seat.)

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Piston’s nationwide transport strike is expected to last until Wednesday (Sept. 30). /jpv