PISTON welcomes Senator Grace Poe’s call to suspend the PUV Modernization Program in light of the recent allegations of corruption in government agencies implementing the program. We stand in solidarity with all transport workers in exposing the corruption present in government agencies.
Our struggle extends beyond fighting corruption and includes challenging the domination of foreign corporations in public transportation.
For years, public transport workers have been battling against the corporatization of public transportation, specifically the PUVMP and its various schemes, including franchise theft from operators, forced consolidation, route rationalization, and direct mode change. These policies are sustained by corruption and bribery within government agencies. It is crucial that we sharpen and elevate this fight against these state policies and schemes, as well as those of imperialist countries that aim to seize and squeeze our livelihoods for their own profits.
It is imperative to bear in mind the demands of drivers and operators when Senator Grace Poe proposes the suspension of the PUVMP implementation until “related issues are resolved.”
- Stop the implementation of the PUVMP.
- Restore the 5-year franchise validity.
- Bring back the sale-and-transfer scheme.
- Review the LPTRP implementations that resulted in re-routing and the killing of PUV routes.
- Suspend the payment of fines for late filing.
- Provide support and assistance to drivers and operators.
- Rehabilitation and just transition, not importation.
- Uphold the democratic, labor, and human rights of all transport workers.
Let us come together in our unwavering determination to abolish the anti-people PUVMP! We call upon drivers, operators, and the entire nation to unite and strive towards a common goal. Through our collective efforts and steadfast commitment, we can strengthen our movement and build a just future for all.
Let us come together and unite all modes of public transportation, from tricycles to taxis, and those already undergoing modernization. They have been or will be affected by the corporatization of public transportation, and we must stand together with commuters, and workers as our allies. Through protests, petitions, rallies, and transport strikes, we can demonstrate our unwavering desire for a worker-led, pro-people public transportation system!