Piston gears for another transport strike

The transport groups Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) and Manibela are planning another transport strike 11 days before the threat of a crackdown on unconsolidated public utility jeepneys (PUJs).

- BELLA CARIASO

Mody Floranda, Piston president, noted in an interview with The STAR over the weekend that a lot of possibilities can still happen between now and Jan. 31, the deadline to consolidate the vehicles under the public utility vehicle modernization program or PUVMP.

“On Jan. 24, the House committee on transportation will again conduct another investigation and we will attend it and, of course, we are still awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court,” Floranda said.

Piston asked the high tribunal last Dec. 21 to stop the implementation and ultimately void the government orders related to the PUVMP.

In its petition for certiorari and injunction, the group questioned the legality of the Dec. 31 deadline set for the PUVMP and asked for a temporary restraining order to prevent its implementation until their case is resolved.

It also asked the court to declare the order formalizing the modernization plan and circulars for the consolidation as null and void.