THOUSANDS of jeepney drivers staged a nationwide transport strike on Thursday, demanding lower fuel prices, higher minimum fares, and wage increases as the Philippines grapples with rising oil costs fueled by the war in the Middle East. Led by transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), the strike coincided with the scheduled fare hike by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for nearly all modes of public transport. The fare hike, however, was suspended a day earlier by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., leaving jeepney operators still calling for a minimum fare increase from P13 to P18 to offset the soaring fuel prices. Piston also urged the government to scrap excise and value-added taxes on fuel and called for a hike in the minimum wage to P1,200 to address the continuing surge in commodity prices, citing the economic burden on drivers and commuters alike. Despite the strike, government agencies reported no major disruption to public transport. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicolas Torre III said that as of 5 a.m., there were no stranded passengers, noting that only one transport group participated in the strike. “It’s only one group that joined the transport strike, and we still have not deployed our emergency dispatch vehicles because there haven’t been any stranded passengers,” Torre said in an interview. The MMDA, together with other national government agencies and local government units, has readied emergency vehicles under a single dispatch system to avoid redundancies and ensure coordinated response. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and partner agencies deployed vehicles along key routes to ferry passengers for free. Earlier, Piston accused police officers of harassing its members, as protest actions against high fuel taxes disrupted traffic in several areas. Piston president Mody Floranda condemned the Philippine National Police (PNP) for allegedly dispersing its members from peaceful assembly points. Floranda specifically cited an incident in Sucat, Parañaque City, where he claimed police disrupted a gathering of striking drivers. “The police should only be observers and not engage in harassment,” Floranda said in Filipino, stressing that law enforcers are meant to ensure order, not interfere with peaceful protests. Floranda reported that the group had staged about 20 “mass actions” across the metropolis since 4 a.m. Thursday. He expressed frustration over the alleged police intervention, pointing out that the protest, which calls for the removal of excise taxes on petroleum products, is an issue that also affects ordinary police personnel. “This is a burden that even police officers feel,” he added. Libreng sakay Meanwhile, mayors in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela said on Thursday that more vehicles were deployed in the major roads to provide “Libreng Sakay” (free rides) to commuters who could be affected by the nationwide transport strike. Caloocan Mayor Dave Gonzalo said he instructed the city’s Public Safety and Traffic Management Department to make sure that sufficient number of vehicles and mini-trucks were dispatched particularly in the major thoroughfares including Monumento area. In Valenzuela, Mayor Wes Gatchalian told The Manila Times that several local government-owned vehicles were stationed, especially along the stretch of Mac-Arthur Highway, where some members of Piston were holding their protest action. Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval was seen personally monitoring the on-going transport strike in her turf as she inspected the deployment of at least 10 vehicles to provide free rides on affected commuters.