Bagamat hindi tinutulan ng Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) ang pag-apruba sa P2 taas-pasahe sa jeepney dahil malaking kaginhawahan ito sa mga tsuper, iginiit naman ng grupo ng mga manggagawa na napapanahon nang magpatupad ng dagdag-suweldo dahil dito.

“We will not object to the P1 PUJ fare increase at this time because the increase will improve the take home pay of our jeepney drivers and help their families cope with the current incredible inflation,” saad sa pahayag ni ALU-TUCP Spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.

Gayunman, iginiit ng grupo na dapat nang magkaloob ng umento sa mga manggagawa sa National Capital Region (NCR) dahil na rin sa mataas na presyo ng mga bilihin at serbisyo.

Kahapon, nagtaas na rin ng P1 sa pasahe sa pampasaherong bus sa Metro Manila.

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“There is now a very urgent need for the Metro Manila wage board to grant a substabtial wage increase for workers in the NCR for them to survive in the light of the extraordinary increases in prices of basic goods and costs of services in the past ten months including this P1 jeepney fare increase,” ani Tanjusay.

Sinegundahan din ng Federation of Free Workers ang nasabing panawagan ng ALU-TUCP.

“Before the fare increase takes effect, the wage board should act soon. A paltry salary increase of 20 pesos in Metro Manila will most likely be eaten up this fare increase. A family of five who rides the jeepney at least once a day to get out of the house for work, school or the market, then ride the jeepney again to go back home, would have already used half of the 20 pesos just for jeepney fares,” ani FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet.

Sa Lunes, Oktubre 22, na magpupulong ang NCR Wage Board para talakayin kung magkano ang dapat na itataas sa suweldo ng mga manggagawa sa NCR.

-Leslie Ann G. Aquino