Palace urges Manibela to hold a dialog with DOTr chief
Transport group Manibela should consider the welfare of commuters and relay their concerns first to Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon before conducting a strike, a Palace official said on Monday, March 24, 2025. | PHOTO: Screengrab from RTVM
MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Manibela should consider the welfare of commuters and relay their concerns first to Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon before conducting a strike, a Palace official said on Monday.
At a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro pointed out that commuters are “innocent” and are simply caught in the middle between the transport group and the government.
READ: Metro Manila public transport ‘normal’ despite jeepney strike—LTFRB
“Ang hiling lamang po natin at hiling din po ni [Transportation] Secretary Vince Dizon, makipag-usap muna po sana ang pamunuan ng Manibela. Iyong impact ay hindi lamang po sa pamahalaan kung hindi mismo sa mga commuters,” she said.
(Our only request, as well as that of [Transportation] Secretary Vince Dizon, is for the leadership of Manibela to engage in dialogue first. The impact is not only on the government but also directly on the commuters.)
“Ang nais po ni Secretary Vince Dizon ay mag-usap po at ibigay nila sa bagong liderato po ng DOTr [Department of Transportation] kung ano po iyong ninanais nila. Sana huwag na po nating madamay ang mga commuters dito,” Castro added.
(Secretary Vince Dizon wants to have a dialogue and for them to present their concerns to the new leadership of the DOTr. Let us not get commuters caught up on this.)
The transport strike in Metro Manila, which began on March 21 and will last until March 26, was over the alleged falsification of the Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) data on the Public Transport Modernization Program.
LTFRB spokesperson Atty. Ariel Inton said earlier that the situation remains generally “normal,” and local government units deployed their vehicles to provide free rides to stranded commuters.
Castro, at the briefing, also said commuters are not yet affected by the strike.
