More than 1,000 passengers were stranded because of a jeepney strike in Metro Manila on Monday, officials said.

Aileen Lizada, board member of the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said a total of 1900 stranded passengers were given free rides as of 2:43 pm.

Lizada said a total of 28 private and government vehicles were sent to assist passengers affected by the transport strike led by PISTON (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide.)

“There are 22 government vehicles dispatched; six private bus with a total of 28 vehicles dispatched,” Lizada said.

In a statement, Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, said there was no untoward incident recorded.

“A generally peaceful situation was noted today amidst the nationwide transport strike called by PISTON. The PNP National Operations Center in Camp Crame did not receive any report of untoward incident from the Police Regional Offices,” he said.

“Although several pockets of mass assembly of striking PISTON members were monitored in some parts of Metro Manila this morning, these did not have any adverse effect on the movement of public utility vehicles and conveyance of commuters,” he added.

Bulalacao said the National Capital Region Police Office “(NCRPO) reported four separate pickets of some 95 members of PISTON in Muntinlupa City; E. Rodriguez, Quezon City ;Old Capitol Site, Quezon City; and Novaliches, Quezon City until the midmorning (yesterday).”

“In Central Luzon, some 150 members of Kadamay held a protest rally in front of Lucky Market , Bgy Siling Bata, Pandi, Bulacan,” he said.

“As of this time uniformed police are still out in the affected areas providing security to prevent the strikers from harassing non-strike participants,” Bulalacao said.

“The impact of the strike is relatively slight after alternative transport facilities were provided by the PNP, MMDA and other government agencies,” he noted. Robina Asido/DMS