₱5 FARE INCREASE SOUGHT: Cebu transport strike cut short

CEBU, PHILIPPINES — A militant transport group in Cebu scaled down its planned two-day strike, limiting the protest to a single day on March 19, even as their counterparts in Metro Manila continued with a second day of nationwide transport actions.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival assured residents that public transportation in Cebu City has remained normal despite the transport protest led by PISTON-Cebu.

“One day ra among strike. Dili na mi mag-strike ugma,” said PISTON Cebu chairperson, Greg Perez, confirming that no follow-up protest would be held today.

Perez said participation in the province remained limited compared to Metro Manila, where transport strikes are sustained. PISTON Cebu has an estimated 500 members, but only about 200 drivers joined the mobilization, he added.

PISTON Cebu earlier reported varying levels of disruption across several routes in Metro Cebu as of 11:00 a.m., with paralysis rates ranging from 60 percent to as high as 90 percent.

Perez noted that transport operations in Cebu (during the strike) were largely normal, with no widespread paralysis recorded across major routes.

However, he acknowledged that some areas in the northern corridor experienced partial disruptions, with around 75 to 80 percent of units affected due to the participation of some drivers.
Among the affected routes were Talamban–Carbon and Pit-os–Colon at 75 percent; Apas–Carbon, Mabolo–Ayala, Lahug–Ayala, Manalili–Cathedral, Ayala–Mandaue, and Ayala–Consolacion routes at around 85 percent; while Tamiya–MEPZ 1 reached up to 90 percent disruption. The Marigondon–Cordova route recorded the lowest impact at 60 percent.

Perez also disclosed that some drivers at the rally area were issued citation tickets, while one individual was reportedly apprehended during earlier protest activities. Authorities allegedly removed placards and other protest materials.
“Peaceful ra man ang among gihimo, ug naa’y mga grupo nga nisuporta sa among panawagan,” Perez said, describing the protest as orderly and supported by various sectors, including youth and urban poor groups.

TRANSPORT GROUP CALLS FOR FARE HIKE

The group reiterated its call for a ₱5 fare increase for both traditional and modern jeepneys, citing the continued rise in fuel prices and operational costs.

Perez clarified that the proposed adjustment covers all public utility jeepneys, although discussions with regulators are still ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas has yet to issue an official statement regarding the transport action, as of press time.

During the strike, drivers, commuters, and progressive groups converged in Metro Colon and later marched toward a centralized program along P. Del Rosario Street in Cebu City.

In some areas, the impact of the strike was visibly evident. Terminals in the Cebu Business Park, particularly in Ayala, were described as “ghost terminals,” with significantly fewer jeepneys than usual.
Drivers operating in the area said the absence of vehicles was unusual even outside peak hours, attributing the situation to the strike participation.
The protest also drew support from student groups, including the Student Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy–University of San Carlos, which expressed solidarity and highlighted the economic burden caused by rising oil prices.

In a statement, the group said the surge in fuel prices has severely affected both drivers and commuters, calling for the removal of value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes on petroleum products, as well as the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law.

They also launched a donation drive to support drivers who would forego daily income during the strike.

Similarly, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Central Visayas backed the transport strike, warning that diesel prices in some parts of Metro Cebu have already exceeded ₱100 per liter.

The group attributed the rising fuel costs to global instability and existing energy policies, urging the government to implement price controls, remove fuel taxes, and reconsider the current deregulated oil industry framework.

The transport strike, they emphasized, reflects broader economic concerns affecting not only drivers but also commuters and households facing rising costs of basic goods and services.

Despite scaling down its local action, PISTON Cebu said it will continue to coordinate with its national leadership as transport issues remain under review amid ongoing developments in fuel pricing and fare policies.

PISTON BRINGS PROTEST TO COLON

Colon Street became a protest ground on Thursday afternoon, March 19, as PISTON-Cebu and its supporters gathered in front of Gaisano Colon to bring their transport-sector strike to the heart of downtown Cebu.
The rally, held at around 1 p.m., drew attention not only because of the crowd and flags rising above one of the city’s busiest corridors, but also because of the urgency written on the banners and placards carried by protesters.
At the center of the action were calls for the implementation of the P5 fare hike, relief from rising oil prices, the removal of fuel taxes, and protection of routes from what the group sees as encroachment by bigger players in the industry.
The protest’s message came through in direct and unmistakable terms. Among the placards and streamers seen during the gathering were “Ipatuman ang P5 fare hike!”, “Welga ang tubag sa oil price hike!”, “Scrap VAT!”, and “Ayaw ihatag ang amoang ruta sa dagkong kumpanya Ceres!”
Other banners also carried calls to “Ibasura ang VAT ug excise tax sa lana” and “I-rollback ang presyo sa krudo,” reflecting frustrations over the growing burden on drivers and operators already struggling to stay afloat.

With protesters packed along the roadside and around a vehicle bearing transport calls, the rally turned a familiar stretch of Colon into a platform for a sector demanding to be heard.
What unfolded was more than a show of numbers. It was a street-level expression of the pressure facing transport workers, who said the issue now goes beyond fare and cuts straight into livelihood, daily survival, and the future of small operators on the road.

ARCIVAL: CEBU CITY TRANSPORT STAYS NORMAL

The strike, which began yesterday was organized to oppose rising fuel prices. It was set to continue until March 20, coinciding with the Eid’l Fitr holiday, but latest report stated that PISTON Cebu cut the protest short to one day only, which was yesterday.

“Based on reports from the field, there is currently no disruption in public transportation within the city.

While there is an ongoing protest, we continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety and convenience of our commuters,” Archival said earlier yesterday.

To prepare for possible disruptions, the mayor announced that the city had readied ten buses to assist commuters who might be stranded.

“We don’t find any considerable threat sa transport but sa sitwasyon sa city, ato na nga giandam atong mga buses and of course with the police assistance,” he further explained later in the day to the media.

Archival acknowledged that some passengers could still be affected by halted operations due to the protest.

To avoid confusion and disorder on the roads, he said he had coordinated with the Cebu City Police Office and the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to ensure smooth travel even during the declared holiday.

“Rest assured, the Cebu City Government is prepared to deploy buses immediately should the need arise to assist any stranded passengers,” he added, encouraging commuters to contact his office directly at 0917-323-5807 for assistance.

Earlier in the day, PISTON-Cebu released figures claiming widespread paralysis in several routes as of 11:00 a.m.

The CCTO however disputed these claims, citing real-time monitoring from transport cooperatives and the city’s Eagle Eye command center.
CCTO Assistant Head Kent Francesco Jongoy told The Freeman that operations across key areas remained normal. Transport cooperative representatives have also shared the same to CCTO.

In Mabolo, more than 90 percent of 57 units were running, with idle vehicles only under maintenance. In El Pardo, 90 percent of units were also operating. Traffic counts at major intersections further contradicted strike claims.

At Colon Street and Osmeña Boulevard, vehicle numbers even exceeded the previous day’s figures, rising from 372 units to 410 units by 2 p.m.

Monitoring at Gorordo and Gen. Maxilom, as well as PJP II Avenue and F. Cabahug, showed no significant decrease in hourly operations.

“Data wouldn’t lie. Misinformation leading to deception and confusion,” Jongoy remarked, pointing to the Eagle Eye system’s traffic counts.

The protest forms part of a broader campaign by PISTON against fuel price hikes and modernization policies, which the group argues burden small operators.

Archival said the city’s proactive measures — standby buses, police coordination, and close monitoring — are designed to minimize inconvenience and maintain public order.

Officials expect that the presence of alternative transport options and strong coordination among agencies will help reduce the impact of the strike, ensuring that Cebu City’s daily routines continue with minimal disruption.
CPPO DENIES PISTON’S CLAIM OF DISPERSAL
Contrary to the claims of PISTON-Cebu, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) clarified that its personnel did not disperse any jeepney drivers who joined the nationwide transport strike along the P. Del Rosario Street in the city on Thursday afternoon, March 19.

This came after PISTON-Cebu posted on social media, denouncing the presence of the city police during their assembly.

The group claimed that police officers attempted to disperse the jeepney drivers and supporters who were peacefully conducting their program along the P. Del Rosario Street. It added that there was also an increased police presence and ongoing surveillance operations in other protest areas, calling it an evident way of intimidating and violating their freedom.
“PISTON – Cebu condemns this clear act of intimidation and violation of freedom of assembly,” read the post.
However, CCPO spokesperson and Deputy City Director for Administration, Police Lieutenant Franco Rudolf Oriol, explained that the presence of police personnel at rally sites is intended to uphold the peace and order during the event, and to ensure smooth traffic flow in the area.

He clarified that Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) personnel deployed to the area did not disperse the rallying group, but rather, they issued citation tickets for those who were violating traffic laws.
“We would like to clarify that there was no dispersal of the rally kaganina. Ang katung nahitabo kaganina that was separate, that was a traffic violation,” Oriol said in a phone interview.

He also disclosed that TEU personnel issued citation tickets to at least seven of the rallyists’ vehicles for obstruction of the traffic flow.
Oriol added that the police confronted them not because of the rally they held but because their vehicles, which were parked in areas with “No Stopping” signs.

“Ang mga sakyanan maoy [tumong] kay nag-obstruct man sila … kay nag-park man sila sa ‘No Stopping’ so they were issued traffic citations,” he said.

He further noted that those police personnel deployed in the area were from the TEU and are not members of the Civil Disturbance Management (CDM), contrary to what PISTON-Cebu alleged that they were dispersed.

Additionally, Oriol also assured that the CCPO supports the rights and freedom of various sectoral groups who participated in the rally.

“Girespeto pod nato sa kapulisan ang ilang katungod nga makapadayag sila sa ilang yangongo ngadto sa atong gobyerno,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said that the assembly concluded peacefully with no untoward incidents reported, highlighting the participants’ cooperation in maintaining public order.

“Very peaceful ang atong mga activity sa rally and very cooperative man pod ang atoang mga sectoral groups nga nagpahigayon,” said Oriol.