Transport group PISTON denounces legislative efforts to amend economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, saying that charter change will not solve poverty nor improve the state of public transport. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Jan. 4 filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 seeking to relax foreign ownership restrictions on certain economic provisions, including…
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), representing the DOTr and LTFRB, claimed that the PUV modernization program (PUVMP) and its related issuances are aimed at fulfilling the country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in response to the Supreme Court petition filed by PISTON in December 2023. However, these agencies did not explain how…
Transport group PISTON is set to stage another transport strike starting December 14 to demand the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) scrap the December 31 deadline for applying for franchise consolidation. The franchise consolidation component of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) mandates all operators to surrender individual franchises for consolidation into…
Transport group PISTON joined the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on Saturday, demanding a pro-people, worker-led just transition in public transport. This comes in opposition to the import-dependent, corporate-driven Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), which is slated to potentially displace thousands of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and small operators by January…
Transport group PISTON urged the government on Monday to include the 31.57 billion peso ($630 million) PUV rehabilitation subsidy in the 2024 national budget. The subsidy, proposed by Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, would be used for the centralized procurement of Euro-5 engines to upgrade about 63,140 traditional PUVs each year for three years,…