MEMBERS of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) will hold a transport strike on Monday to protest the government’s plan to modernize public transportation.
But Piston members in Cebu clarified that they will only hold a one-day strike, even though their national organization ordered a two-day strike on Oct. 16 and 17. Apparently, local militant groups will be holding their own demonstration on the 17th.
Greg Perez, Piston Cebu coordinator, told SunStar Cebu that they will conduct their activities in “protest centers” in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu .
Perez said that close to 200 members have already committed to join the strike.
While they have no intention of paralyzing public transportation, Perez said that they cannot stop other jeepney drivers who are sympathetic to their cause from participating.
Monday’s strike is the third one organized by Piston this year to protest the Department of Transportation’s proposed jeepney modernization program that seeks to phase out jeepneys that are older than 15 years, among others.