MANILA – The ongoing two-day transport strike has been “generally orderly” despite scattered “minor disruptions,” the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Friday.
Assessing the first day of the protest action on Thursday, the PNP described the overall situation as “manageable.”
“We did not monitor any major untoward incident. There were some minor disruptions but this was immediately resolved through proper communication initiated by our personnel on the ground,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.
The PNP chief attributed the orderly situation to the deployment of police officers in identified protest hotspots.
“Police visibility helps deter incidents,” he said. “Kapag may presensya ang pulis, mas nagiging disiplinado ang lahat (When police officers are present, the people become more disciplined.”
For the second day of the strike, Nartatez said police units nationwide have been instructed to maintain visibility in protest areas to prevent possible incidents.
In Metro Manila alone, nearly 9,000 police personnel and 400 vehicles were deployed to ensure peace and order. Authorities also provided free rides to affected commuters.
Transport groups launched the strike to press the government for relief amid continued increases in fuel costs.
The protest resulted in reduced public transportation in several urban centers and prompted government contingency measures, including “Libreng Sakay” (free ride) programs. (PNA)