DOTr warns same plight for those who will participate in Sept. 30 transport strike
(Eagle News)–The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has cancelled the certificates of public convenience of public utility vehicle operators and drivers who were found to have taken part in a transport strike led by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide in 2017.
In a statement, LTFRB chair Martin Delgra III said cancelled were 20 CPCs for violation of LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2011-004 that says taking part in any protest that will cause undue injuries to passengers is a detriment to the franchise given by the government to the operator.
“Lumabag sila noon, harapin nila ang kinahinatnan ngayon. Hindi kami mangingiming ipatupad ang kautusang ito dahil hindi isinaalang-alang ng mga nagtigil-pasada ang kapakanan ng mga pasahero. Ang laki ng aberyang dinulot nito sa publiko,” Delgra said.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, for his part, also urged the LTFRB to ensure that operators who participate in the transport strike organized by members of PISTON and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) on Monday, September 30, will be sanctioned.
The strike is supposedly to oppose the government’s PUV Modernization Program.
“Ang prangkisa, pribilehiyo ‘yan at hindi karapatan. Nakasaad sa pribilehiyong ‘yan ang responsibilidad ng operator na bigyan ng komportableng biyahe ang kanyang pasahero. Kung magtitigil pasada sila, sinong kawawa? Pasahero. Sana maisip nila ‘yon,” Tugade said.
Even then, the DOTr said the government had contingency measures in place to cushion the impact of the transport strike.