Transport groups protesting the planned phaseout of jeepneys staged a nationwide transport strike Monday, causing the suspension of classes in numerous local governments in Metro Manila and other places.
Depending on who is talking, the strike was a big success—or an utter failure.
Strikers decry the government’s transport modernization program, under which jeepneys older than 15 years need to comply with Euro 4 standards that require much lower toxic emissions.
Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced the cancellation of the franchises of some 20 operators who joined similar transport strikes two years ago. The operators say they are unfazed.
The government says Monday’s strike did not achieve its desired end—to paralyze business-as-usual and make their voice heard—because classes were suspended and LGUs provided help to their constituents who might find themselves stranded on the road.
It’s impossible to imagine how the operators can feel oppressed by the modernization program. Who can find fault with a move to improve the air quality by making vehicle owners and operators responsible for their emissions? What is wrong with ensuring the health of your passengers and the general public? It is not as if these requirements were made known yesterday—they have been there for quite a while, and any conscientious worker would have taken steps to prepare for such an eventuality, especially if one’s livelihood depended on it.
Of course, individual drivers may be hard pressed to do this on their own. This is exactly why they count themselves as members of transport associations—to know how they can use collective power. This is also where LGUs could serve them well—by providing incentives for jeepneys to modernize.
The Filipino commuter is no stranger to inconveniences, given the sorry state of public transportation and traffic in Metro Manila. This must not embolden others, however, to do as they please.
It is plain wrong for jeepney drivers and operators to punish the public they claim to serve for something that was intended to benefit them—specifically, modernization, and a much more responsible way of plying their route—in the long run.