There is currently a week-long transport strike in the Philippines due to the government transport modernization program to phaseout dangerously dilapidated and old passenger jeepneys and vans with modern vehicles. The strike not only affected workers but students as well and forced schools to conduct online classes this week.
In a social media post, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte slams PISTON and ACT for supporting the week-long transport strike and calling it “communist-inspired.” VP Duterte pointed out that the strike “will hurt our learners, and the inconvenience that it may cause comes with an enormous price deleterious to learning recovery efforts — and this is a price that learners will have to pay.”
She added that “If you (PISTON and ACT) cannot understand our position, or refuse to understand our position, or even pretend not to understand our position, this is only because of your unbelievable propensity to push a hardline agenda that punishes the general public.”
Here’s full test of VP Duterte’s message;
A reply by DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte to ACT and Piston pic.twitter.com/qaTA43kpgF
— DepEd (@DepEd_PH) March 6, 2023
The week long nationwide transport strike launched by various Philippine transport groups is their way to protest against the government transport modernization program, even with the promised government financial aid, a majority of drivers could not afford to purchase new passenger jeepneys due to the high price of the modern/new passenger jeepneys.
