Jeepney unions launch two-day strike demanding lower fuel costs and living wages

Transport coalition Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) launched a two-day strike on Tuesday, with drivers in Metro Manila districts like Novaliches, Sucat, Alabang and Las Piñas halting service at 6 a.m. The group demands that the government stop rising fuel prices, eliminate the value-added and excise taxes on fuel, revert diesel to P55 per litre, and repeal the Oil Deregulation Law that allows oil firms to set prices freely.

Piston’s national president Mody Floranda highlighted that diesel now costs up to P3,000, while the recent P1 fare increase yields only an extra P200 per day for a driver serving 200 passengers. He warned that between 70,000 and 100,000 jeepney operators could join the nationwide protest, which will also be staged in Bulacan, Pampanga, Baguio, Rizal, Naga, Sorsogon, Cebu, Panay, Iloilo, Bacolod City, Davao and General Santos City. Floranda also challenged President Marcos to scrap anti-strike and anti-protest legislation, including the Anti-Terrorism Law and the task force targeting local communist insurgents.