MISAMIS ORIENTAL (PIA)--Despite the declaration made by MANIBELA transport group chairperson Mar Valbuena for a nationwide week-long transport strike, the Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Service Cooperative (NOMFEDTRASCO) recently expressed that they will not take part in the transport strike.
When the Land Transportation and Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-013, which took effect, February 22, setting a March 31 deadline for the application for franchise consolidation and extending the validity of the Provisional Authority (PA) to operate for individual operators on June 30, MANBELA declared a weeklong transport strike to oppose the said circular.
Even though the declaration was made, NOMFEDTRASCO, which is made up of almost 50 transport cooperatives from all over northern Mindanao, did not agree with the call to join the strike. They also said they fully supported MC 2023-013 and the government's PUV Modernization Program.
Members of NOMFEDTRASCO from the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Camiguin, and Lanao del Norte, as well as cities like Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Tangub City, and Misamis Occidental, have already met the consolidation requirements.
Also, 45% of NOMFEDTRASCO's transport members, or 20 of them, have updated their fleets and are now using new PUVs that meet OFG rules.
The transportation group knows that a strike will affect people who use public transportation and may make the government's PUV Modernization Program less effective. The group denies any affiliation with the MANIBELA.
LTRFRB-10 assures the public that their office has contingency plans in the event of a transport strike. The agency will also coordinate with transport groups and corporations to provide "Libreng Sakay" to students, government employees, barangay workers, and others.
Peace and order are also guaranteed during a transport strike as LTFRB-10 is in constant coordination with the Philippine National Police-10, various local government units, and other law enforcement agencies. (LTFRB-10/JAKA/PIA-10)
