Piston assails gov’t over planned PUJ phase-out

By Aldwin Quitasol

BAGUIO CITY – Jeepney drivers and operators here assailed government for planning to phase out public utility jeeps from plying the streets saying this would hurt the poor more.  

Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston) Metro Baguio president and national vice president Carlito Wayas said they will join nationwide transport strike against planned jeepney phase out by government's agency for transportation.

Wayas urged other drivers and small operators in Baguio and Benguet and the whole Cordillera to stand up against any move to snatch away their livelihood.

He said their children and their children's children will suffer from hunger and economic displacement and the ones to be blamed for such are those who chose to keep silent and did not bother to say no to any injustice.

He said the planned jeepney phase-out was opposed during the past administration and is now being insisted again by the present administration through the technocrats in its cabinet.

Wayas said that the technocrats in the government are bent to snatch away their source of livelihood and let their families go hungry just to push through with their interests.

Wayas who is one of the lead conveners of the Movement Against Jeepney Phaseout said e-jeeps and so-called modern jeeps can hardly be afforded by poor jeepney drivers and operators.

He said this move to phase-out the jeeps is collaboration between the capitalists after huge economic gains.

Jeepney operator Cris Lagyop said that instead of insisting measures that are making the lives of the poor people harder, it should study first the real plight of the drivers and come up with pro-people programs that are not business driven.