Transport strike
The nationwide transportation stoppage on November 25 successfully demonstrated the solid unity and strength of the labor and transport sectors as a political force that continues to challenge the oppressive government and ruling system. Even yellow and independent transport groups that refused to join transport strikes in the past joined the widespread mass action.
The transport strike led by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) and the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) paralyzed 90-95% of transportation in Metro Manila as well as in the country�s provinces and main cities and forced the leading oil companies to grant the transport sector a token discount.
Consequently, PISTON declared that it would continue to demand a significant rollback in oil prices and the repeal of the oil deregulation law. PISTON assailed the 50-centavo discount on diesel fuel approved by Caltex, Shell and Petron, because it was niggardly considering their superprofits in the last seven years as a result of the deregulation of the oil industry. Whatever benefits the discount provides will soon vanish into thin air because the oil giants will be hiking the prices of petroleum products anew.
In Metro Manila. Aside from PISTON, leading transport organizations such as PCDO-ACTO, FEJODAP and the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA), and even drivers of FX taxis joined the strike. Before noon on November 25, up to 90% of all public vehicles had stopped plying their routes.
In Central Luzon. PISTON reported that public transportation was 100% paralyzed in Bulacan, 80% in Nueva Ecija, 70% in Tarlac and 98% in Pampanga. One-hundred percent paralysis was also effected in Bataan, Zambales and Aurora.
In Pangasinan, 18 transportation groups joined the strike, including those not affiliated with PISTON.
In Northern Luzon. PISTON-Baguio paralyzed the city�s three major routes from 7 a.m. until noon. Jeepneys plying routes to Benguet province also joined the strike.
In Southern Luzon. The Southern Tagalog Transport Sector Organization (STARTER) led the strike in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, where 99% of all public utility vehicles joined the protest action.
Transportation was 99% paralyzed in Camarines Norte while 95% of jeepneys and tricycles and 100% of public utility buses and vans in Albay and 99% in Sorsogon did not ply their routes.
In the Visayas. PISTON-Panay paralyzed transportation and business in Iloilo City and the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan and Antique on November 24 and 25. In Iloilo City, 4,000 jeepneys and tricycles stopped plying their routes. Jeepneys, tricycles and ferryboats in the nearby island of Guimaras also joined the strike.
In Cebu, the three major transportation routes in the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay were paralyzed. The strike was led by the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (NADSU).
In Negros Occidental, members of the United Negros Drivers Operators Center (UNDOC) launched a rally in Bacolod City.
In Mindanao. In Davao City, 94% of transportation was paralyzed when only 500 of the more than 9,000 jeepneys plied their routes. The protest action was led by the Transmission-PISTON and KMU.
In South Cotabato, Sultan Kudrat, Sarangani and General Santos City, 90% of transportation was paralyzed when most of the 8,000 tricycles and 3,000 jeepneys stopped plying their routes before noon.
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