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Transport group Manibela and various groups took to the streets in Quezon City early Monday to stage a protest, pressing urgent demands against soaring fuel costs that have severely affected their daily earnings. Bea Cuadra, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Transport group Manibela and various groups took to the streets in Quezon City early Monday to stage a protest, pressing urgent demands against soaring fuel costs that have severely affected their daily earnings.
The protest, led by Manibela alongside Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) units, motorcycle taxi riders, UV Express drivers, and truckers' groups, officially commenced at the Philcoa area along Commonwealth Avenue after starting a caravan from University Avenue.
Drivers voiced deep struggles over the continuous surge in oil prices, noting that their shrinking incomes leave them with barely anything to bring home to their families.
"Kailangan po talaga makiisa kasi sobrang taas ng gasolina. Hindi na po talaga kaya. Tsaka yung naiuwi namin sa MC Taxi is napakalit na lang kasi kawawa na po kami," said Rocres Jabay, a motorcycle taxi rider who skipped work to join the strike. "Yung gasolina sobrang taas. Kailangan na po talagang makipagkaisa para sa ikakaano ng pamilya namin."
TNVS drivers echoed the same sentiments, pointing out that high diesel and gasoline prices, have left many drivers with almost no take-home pay.
"Kasi naihirapan na kami sa biyahe kasi sa sobrang mahal ng diesel, gasolina, minsan wala na kayong mauwi at sa baba rin ng pamasahe… kaya lumalahok kami sa tigil pasada para maramdaman din ng gobyerno natin na mayroong naaapektuhan na TNVS din," said TNVS driver Khimgie Delos Santos.
LAST RESORT
Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena explained that the transport strike was a last resort born out of necessity to catch the attention of government agencies like the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
"Sa ngayon marami na po ang tumigil sa byahe at alam natin na hindi naman natin kagustuhan talaga ito. Ginagawa natin ito para tugunan at masolusyonan, mapakinggan yung ating hinahing. Kung hindi natin ginagawa itong protesta at strike, walang pakialam ang gobyerno, lalo na ang Department of Energy, ang DOTR, ang LTFRB sa ating mga hinahing," Valbuena stated.
While expressing gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for lifting the suspension on the fare increase, Valbuena stressed that the granted one-peso hike, which was initially filed when crude prices ranged from P45 to P50 back in March, is no longer sufficient, urging an additional two-peso increase.
“Sana mapakinggan tayo. Yung dalawang piso na hiling natin, yung piso kasi na binigay ngayon, nung Marso pa yan kung saan, nasa 45 to 50 pesos pa ang krudo nung mga panahon na yan. Kaya Sana madagdagan pa ito ng piso,” sais Valbuena.
He also criticized the DOE for failing to suspend the excise tax despite hitting the required threshold, questioning the agency's reasoning that the move would only benefit the wealthy.
'NAGSISIGA-SIGAAN'
Valbuena further slammed the LTFRB for allegedly threatening penalties against striking drivers who are already struggling to make ends meet.
"Kayo ba ang nagpapakain sa amin kung makaasta kayo ng pananakot? Pinapalamon kayo ng taong bayan sa pamamagitan ng buwis pero nandyadyan kayo nagsisiga-sigaan. kaya lalo ang nagalit mga tsuper dito sa mga pananakot ng LTFRP… Mag-resign na kayo kung hindi man kayo masampahan ng kaso sa Ombudsman," he added, while also calling out DOE officials amid the worsening fuel crisis. "Hanggang ngayon, pahirap pa rin ang ginagawa ninyo."
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) also joined the mobilization to show solidarity, emphasizing that the fuel crisis is a shared burden affecting all sectors of the transport industry.
"Well, yung problema ng mga grupong ito ay problema din namin dahil talagang napakalaki ng epekto ng taas na mga fuel sa aming mga serbisyo," said CTAP President Mary Zapata.
"Nandito kami para supportahan yung kanilang mga gustong gawain at alam namin na kung sakaling magkaroon ng tagumpay sa pinaglalaban nila tungkol sa fuel crisis, ay syempre… makikinabang din kami."
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