The government has contingency measures in place to dampen the impact of the transport strike of the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers Para sa Karapatan sa Paggawa (Manibela) on Monday, 15 October.
“We have the support of the top transport leaders who will not join Manibela,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
Pasang Masda president Obet Martin ruled out the Manibela stike paralyzing the public transport sector as the so-called Magnificent 7 who hold sway over the majority of transport groups has not joined the transport strike.
The Magnificent 7 include Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas, Pasang Masda, Stop and Go Transport Coalition, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, and the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association.
According to Bautista, the agency has coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Highway Patrol Group, the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Regulatory and Franchising Board, InterAgency Council for Traffic, Philippine Coast Guard as well as other local government agencies to mitigate the impact of the strike.
Mar Valbuena had said the event is a protest rally and a demonstration against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). He claimed jeepney drivers plying 600 of the 785 routes in Metro Manila will join the transport strike.
Hernando Cabrera, administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said rail authorities also have contingency plans in place ahead of the transport strike.
“We always maintain and update contingency plans for such events,” he said.
The LRTA operates LRT Line 2 which runs from Recto in Manila to Masinag in Antipolo.
Jackie Gorospe, spokesperson of the Light Rail Manila Corp. said the operator of LRT Line 1 will implement its normal weekday timetable “but we’ll have trains on reserve and ready to be deployed in case of surges.”
“We have nine 4G trains already on commercial service also. Even during normal days, we still have some available capacity to spare to accommodate more passengers,” she added.
LRT Line 1 runs from Roosevelt in Quezon City to Baclaran in Paranaque CIty.
