Palace mocks Piston for failed transport strike

Malacañang expressed dismay over the refusal of some transport groups to heed warnings for them to forego with their transport strike while claiming that the protest was a big failure and has not disrupted public transport.

At a press briefing, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda claimed that the decision of the militant transport organizations, led by the Pagkakaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) to proceed with their strike even after President Aquino’s dialog with the transport sector only affected “a very, very few people.”

“We are not happy with their decision but as we had proven yesterday, we are prepared to meet them head on with respect to their decision to go on strike,” Lacierda said.

“If you’re looking at the present situation right now, we have made sure that the riding public will not be prejudiced and I think we have done our job. And there are very few, again, very, very few people were stranded in very, very limited areas,” he added.

Lacierda said that the strike also brought nothing but financial losses to their own members who joined their strike.

“I think the public realized and recognized the sincerity of this government of President Aquino in resolving the problem. We recognize oil price hikes as a problem and we were, in fact, addressing those concerns. Again, like I said, some people chose to be part of the problem rather than be part of the solution and the public saw that — recognized that. And they responded and we responded very strongly to make sure that the riding public will not be prejudiced,” Lacierda pointed out.

Lacierda said that Malacañang’s warning that the government would revoke the franchise of those who participated in the protest will be definitely enforced as soon as the agencies involved in monitoring yesterday’s strike has determined if any of the strikers have violated the provisions of their franchise.

“The oil prices are a cause for concern for all of us but some people chose to be part of the problem rather than be part of the solution,” Lacierda lamented as he accused the protest organizers of being “photo ops” hungry.

Lacierda claimed the main reason why Piston’s transport strike fizzled out is Aquino’s decision to hold a dialog with the country’s transport leaders which have dissuaded many of them not to go along with the planned nationwide transport strike.

“Obviously all the transport group leaders were very satisfied. The President came forward sincerely and took their concerns and explained. It (dialog) was received very positively by the transport group leaders except for, of course, San Mateo who already had a preconceived notion of what they intended to do. There was no turning back from their decision to launch a strike. And, yes, we are very, very certain that the transport (groups)’s dialog with the President was a contributory factor to what was not happened yesterday,” Lacierda said.

To prove that the government is serious in its threat to revoke the franchise of those who joined the strike, Lacierda claimed that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had either revoked or suspended the franchises of the bus companies who joined strike of several bus companies several months ago, among them the Laguna Star Bus Transportation System, Jayross Lucky Seven Tours and Bus Co., JRMS Golden Sky Transport and Chang Buses.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) described yesterday’s transport strike as generally peaceful as majority of commuters were not totally affected with the protest.

According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Allan Purisima, some 5,000 police personnel were deployed to areas that are most likely affected by the protest initiated by the militant group Piston.

Piston officials assured them that they would not create trouble but merely express their sentiments about the continuous rise in fuel prices.

Piston and its allied groups led a transport strike in Metro Manila and several provinces to express protest against the rise in fuel prices.

For some hours yesterday morning, heavy traffic were experienced along España, Manila.

Some Piston members, on the other hand, went around the Monumento Circle in Caloocan City aboard jeepneys calling the attention of some drivers to join them on the protest.

Along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, some militant groups held programs by the roadside but did not resort to intimidation or violence to force other drivers to join the strike.

In Cubao and in other parts of Quezon City reported that commuters took other forms of transportation like FXs and taxis as some jeepney drivers took off the signboards from their jeepneys to join the strike.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) implemented “Oplan Grasshopper” assisting commuters and dealt with troublemakers as a nationwide transport strike started.

The MMDA, Armed Forces of the Philippines, PNP, Land LTFRB, and the Department of Education also created “Oplan Grasshopper.”

Some 22 trucks were prepared for “Libreng Sakay” (Free Ride) program while there were bus companies which also offered and volunteered to assist the commuters so they would not be affected with the transport strike.

At least 19 buses offered free rides with two buses deployed in Sucat, Parañaque and four more deployed in Cubao as early as 7 a.m., to assist stranded commuters. –Virgilio J. Bugaoisan and Gina Peralta-Elorde, Daily Tribune