Piston Metro Baguio condemned on February 12 what it called the “shameless railroading” of Phase 2 of the bogus transport modernization program in the city. The program’s advance was pushed after local city officials, the Department of Transportation (DoTr), and the World Bank held a “coordination meeting” on February 5.

“The so-called ‘coordination meeting’ was aimed not to improve service but to guarantee profits for the foreign bank and corporations at the expense of drivers and passengers,” the group said. In the meeting, the local government boasted as its “success” the 93% consolidation rate in the Cordillera region. According to the group, behind this figure lies the deep indebtedness of drivers and small operators.

This is because the so-called modern vehicles are sold for ₱3.3 million each, which drivers then pay ₱33,000 each month. “This is a death sentence for the livelihood of small operators, especially on Baguio’s steep and difficult roads, while favoring foreign suppliers and big corporations,” Piston Metro Baguio said.

The group estimated that these exorbitant costs will force cooperatives to raise the minimum fare to ₱45–₱50 per trip.

“They will turn a simple commute for Baguio’s students and workers into a luxury just to recover the billions of pesos invested by private companies,” the group added.

The group denounced the World Bank’s interference in the city’s transport planning. Together with the DoTr, it has promoted the privatization of public services to favor the private sector.

“The entry of foreign institutions into our local planning is a surrender of our transport sovereignty,” the group said. “Its priority is selling imported vehicles, not the genuine rehabilitation of our system or support for local manufacturing.”