A transport group said Tuesday that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) would not have eased the provisions in a memorandum circular on the public utility vehicle modernization program if they did not continue their week-long strike.

Today is the second day of the protest.

“They (LTFRB) will not call us because we all know that they are a bit one-sided. But if we don’t come to them, they won’t talk to us. If there are no threats like this, it’s like they’re saying ‘who are you?’” Mar Valbuena, national president of Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (MANIBELA) told dzBB.

“Before, they said they would only have an extension (of the deadline of consolidation). That’s it. If we didn’t go on a strike yesterday, then they will not ease the provisions,” he added.

Valbuena said they were not against the public utility vehicle modernization program but wanted the government to give them the freedom to choose the kind of jeepney unit they will operate.

The LTFRB on February approved Memorandum Circular 2023-013 which states that individual operators of traditional jeepneys will only be allowed to ply after June 30 if they join a cooperative.

Later, they extended the deadline for operators to join cooperatives to December 31. Jaspearl Tan/DMS