It is now more than 10 days from the March 15 start of the lockdown. Up to now the public money promised to make up for the loss of incomes of workers and odd jobbers from Duterte through mayors and barangays has not yet materialized the Duterte virus of tyranny and corruptiom is starving millions of people and is far more lethal than COVID-19.
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Exclusive! Transport group leader fears massive protests
Arnel San Pedro
March 26, 2020
https://iorbitnews.com/exclusive-transport-group-leader-fears-massive-protests/?fbclid=IwAR11ZKcnUbzm2IQKdPZRlAHXhsn_6ae6VPrhGXDFOefpNwoS8tf8dylEsxo
Twelve days into the Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ) all over the country, PISTON National President Emeritus George San Mateo feared massive protests as some 700,000 jeepneys drivers lost their means of livelihood.
San Mateo said these protests will not only involve the transport group but the entire sectors of society who are now getting hungry because of the absence of government’s assistance.
George San Mateo, Piston National President Emeritus
“Kapag magpapatuloy pa ang ganito at walang kagyat na ayuda ang pamahalaan, nangangamba kami na posibleng sumiklab ang mga protesta sa lansangan hindi lang sa hanay ng mga drivers kundi sa lahat ng mga manggagawa, maralita at mamamayan na dumadanas na ng matinding kagutuman,” San Mateo told iOrbitNews.
San Mateo estimated there are around 500,000 jeepney drivers and 200,000 individual small jeepney operators all over the country.
San Mateo said most of the jeepney drivers’ families were now experiencing hunger and deprivation.
“Gutom na po ang inaabot ng pamilya ng mga jeepney drivers, small operators at kanilang pamilya. Marami nang nagsusulputang mga litrato sa mainstream at social media na mistulang namamalimos na sa kalsada ang mga drivers,” according to San Mateo.
San Mateo said the jeepney drivers will not be able to bear the stoppage in transport operations in one month or until April 14, when the government is expected to lift the ECQ.
“Hindi po kakayanin ang walang pasada ng isang buwan unless may kagyat at komprehensibong programa ng ayuda and national government. Ngayon nga nasa ika 12 na araw na ng lockdown wala pa din ayuda ang mayorya.”
“Sa ngayon talagang hirap na hirap ang mga jeepney drivers at individual small operators kung saan sila kukuha ng ipantatawid gutom sa pamilya lalo pa nasa ika 12 araw na ng lockdown at enhanced quarantine,” said San Mateo.
Currently, no relief was coming from the LGUs and barangays, said San Mateo.
“Sa ngayon mayorya sa mga jeepney drivers ang walang natatanggap na tulong o relief mula sa mga LGUs at barangays. Ipinasa kasi ng national government sa mga LGUs at barangays ang pagbigay ng relief sa mamamayan na hindi naman sumasapat.
Kahit mga highly urbanized LGUs gaya ng City of Manila aminado na hindi sasapat ang pondo nila para matugunan lahat ng pangangailangan ng ayuda gaya ng mga drivers at mangagawa na arawan ang kita at sahod at nanawagan ng ayuda mula sa national government kaso wala pang konkretong kagyat at komprehensibong programs ng ayuda ang national government.
