Bayan congratulates Piston, Manibela and all transport groups who joined the 2-day transport strike to defend their livelihood against the unjust and profit-oriented “modernization” program. The strike was successful because of the strong, united participation of Piston and Manibela members as well as other jeepney groups at the local level who joined the strike even if their national leadership did not.
The strike was successful because of the strong support of commuters and other sectors of society. The biggest victory of the strike was that it put the plight of jeepney drivers and the mass transport crisis on the national agenda. The strike is a wake up call for government to address the unresolved transport issues carried over from the previous regime.
The review of the “modernization” program must include all stakeholders and must serve public interest rather than corporate interests. The drivers and operators retain the right to strike in the event that their demands are not met. Even as government says it will no longer force jeepney operators to buy the expensive “mini-bus”, the fight against the oppressive franchising guidelines continue.
The last 2 days have shown us the protests work and that collective action is our strongest weapon against oppression. Let us learn from our experiences in this struggle and courageously face the challenges under this regime.
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