Transport group holds strike vs jeepney phaseout

AROUND 50 members of the transport group Stop and Go Coalition on Monday staged a protest-rally in front of the office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Quezon City to oppose the government’s jeepney modernization plan.

Coalition president Jun Magno said jeepney drivers and operators won’t be able to cough up P800 a day to acquire new vehicles that would be sold for P1.6 million per unit on a daily downpayment of P800 for seven years at 6% interest.

“Hindi nila kayang pasanin ang (They cannot afford that) P1.6 million,” he said.

Also, according to Mr. Magno, not all jeepneys should be required to install GPS navigation devices and speed limiters because these are not applicable to vehicles whose transportation routes are short.

The coalition said the government should be blamed if there were still many dilapidated and worn-out jeepneys on the streets because it continued to allow the registration of these vehicles and allegedly failed to implement a motor vehicle inspection system.

The coalition’s planned two- day transport strike against the phaseout of old jeepneys, which started yesterday , affected commuters. The government deployed buses and military vehicles to offer free rides in affected routes.

The group sought apology from affected passengers and explained that launching a strike was the only way that the government would listen to the concerns of jeepney drivers and operators.

Late afternoon yesterday, however, the group’s leader announced that there will be no more transport strike today. — main report by interaksyon. com