As this is being written, all eyes are on the transport strike being staged by jeepney drivers and operators demanding the President to junk the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines that they claim would see the death of traditional jeepneys.
The strike led by the Piston, or the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), is supposed to last for a week and affect Metro Manila and many other parts of the country.
The Palace and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board have remained unfazed by the threat of jeepney operators supporting the strike to disrupt commuter services in Metro Manila and elsewhere.
They claimed that 90% of other transport groups was not supporting the strike but nonetheless transport authorities and local governments have initiated measures to mitigate any effects of the strike on commuters.
Central to this strike is government steadfast in implementing the PUV modernization program and resistance to change among drivers and operators who fear a phaseout of traditional jeepneys and their ways of life.
The President himself has aired support for continued operation of traditional jeepneys, as long as they comply with roadworthiness and emission regulations and benchmarks.
But this expression of support is not enough for leaders of the strike. Perhaps this quote from Piston president Mody Florida, in this paper is instructive about the real motive for the strike: “We are not against modernization. What we are opposing is its provision that we need to join a new cooperative or form a new cooperative. We are in favor of forming a cooperative, but it should be composed of operators and drivers and not manipulated by big corporations.”
Motorists and commuters have seen this before: transport groups staging a strike and authorities blinking and offering concessions.
By the time this is being read, the strike may have reached a denouement.
Perhaps the LTFRB and the Palace was right about the strike not being supported by 90% of transport groups and this fizzled out.
Perhaps government blinked and offered more concessions, whether outright or behind the scenes.
Whatever scenario is realized, it is hoped the PUV modernization program continues apace, the interest of commuters remains a priority, and livelihoods of individual jeepney drivers are seen too.
Cycling victory
Cycling advocates got a victory of sorts in protecting gains made with bike lanes.
Makati authorities have decided not to remove protected bike lanes on Ayala and replacing them with that they called “sharrows” or shared lanes.
In a joint statement, Make it Makati, Ayala Land, Inc. and the Makati Business Club said: “After a series of conversations in the past two weeks, all parties agreed that it is everyone’s benefit that Ayala Avenue remains a safe, convenient and inclusive transport corridor for all road users–including pedestrians, commuters, cyclists and motorists.”
According to the statement, Ayala Avenue will continue to have “a physically protected and enforced bike lane–with bollards to separate cyclists from other vehicles, road studs for better visibility, and with enforcement through the Makati Parking Authority–supported by an intensified information campaign.”
At the time it said a technical working group will be created that will consult cycling and road safety advocates on improvements in transport schemes on Ayala Avenue as well as bicycle lane designs.
This can be seen as a victory for cycling advocates who vehemently protested the plan to replace protected bike lanes on Ayala Avenue.
The squeaky wheel got the oil in this instance, and cycling and road safety advocates should be heartened by this victory and encouraged to be more active and loud about their advocacies.
Groups like MNL Moves, a group pushing for more efficient and safer transport systems in Metro Manila, is right in challenging the public to “to continue pushing local leaders, political and business, to take risks, change direction, test ideas based on evidence, and implement changes to build a genuine people-centered urban transportation for Metro Manila.”
Mega moves
It appears that private groups are interested in taking up the offer of government to privatize the EDSA Busway.
Megawide Construction Corp. is proposing to construct an integrated terminal exchange, or ITX, as the northern counterpart to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) for the EDSA Busway loop.
The ITX will also serve as a staging area for provincial buses coming from the North.
Department of Transportation officials have expressed support for the building an ITX north of Manila.
This should give Megawide some edge in the coming bid for a privatized EDSA Busway.
Happy Motoring!!!
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