A critical study of Metro Manila transport groups and their relations to the government and other stakeholders.

Abstract

he limited road capacity accompanied by a growing population is a problem in the transport sector. With the supply of oil reserves of the world naturally decreasing due to over-reliance, its price has become unendurable. Not to mention the uncontrolled price setting of oil companies that burdens many poor Filipinos. Oil is the main input for the livelihood of a significant number of the Filipino population - the PUV drivers. Due to its soaring prices, the income taken home by the drivers plays below or just above the minimum wage for Metro Manila to support their families. Other issues in the transport sector include illegally-run vehicles, fare rates, high operational and maintenance costs, high registration and violation fees, and road safety. No matter how evident and adverse these all are, government actions regarding them are petty or bluntly non-existent. Transport Organizations exists to be able to fight for the rights of the drivers to living wages and humane working conditions and of the operators to acceptable returns of investments. Without organizing, the drivers, being part of the lower class strata, are not able to voice out their concerns and act as a whole to improve their conditions. The same goes for operators. Organizing is their power, their voice. However, the disunity between the transport groups is a big problem in their effectiveness of uplifting their rights. They turn to the government for changes and reforms to policies and laws that destroy their livelihoods and make their poor conditions worse. The only reason why dialogues, protests, and transport strikes are evident is because their working and living conditions are unbearable. The problems of the people, the drivers, operators, and the general public must be responded by the state with adequate and appropriate supports and solutions. It has long been the time to get rid of the root and the real problem in the public land transport industry but up until now, no large change ever occurred except the worsening of the problems.