Malacanang has assured that necessary contingency measures will be in place to address the possible effects of the looming transport strike on March 15.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has been tapping various concerned government agencies to provide assistance to the riding public in the event that a transport strike takes place.
Valte said that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is ready to monitor the situation and will be coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to provide trucks that will convey the passengers who will be affected.
“Ang paghahanda po natin is making sure na kung sakali po talagang makulangan ng mga pampublikong sasakyan ay handa po ang MMDA, at yung mga truck po ng AFP, PNP para po mai-deploy kung sakali man na magkakaroon ng ma-stranded na pasahero,” Valte said.
She said that Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Energy (DOE) Secretary Jose Rene Almendras were in constant communication with the transport groups to discuss the concerns of the transport sector.
“Sa akin pong pagkakaalam ay palagi po silang (transport groups) may koordinasyon kay Secretary Mar Roxas at kay Secretary Rene Almendras,” Valte noted.
Recent reports revealed a threat of a nationwide mass protest scheduled on March 15 led by the transport sector and some leftist solons as they launched a signature campaign asking the government to scrap or suspend the value-added tax (VAT) on oil as a means to bring down prices of gasoline and other petroleum products.
The tax on petroleum products would provide the government at least PhP47 billion in revenues that subsidize social services for the Filipino people.
