CITY OF MALOLOS — An official of the Bulacan Federation of Jeepney Drivers and Operators Association, has confirmed in a telephone interview that their group did not join the two-day transport strike called by Piston.

Ato Ignacio, chairperson ofthe federation, also pointed out that their group is not amenable for its members to be consolidated into a cooperative.

Instead, Ignacio said they are requesting the government to provide them with soft loans to convert their vehicles into Euro 4 compliant engines.

Alternatively, the government can collaborate with a local jeepney manufacturer, such as Francisco Motors, to provide them with a soft loan for a 30-person capacity jeepney. These units are valued at less than a million pesos each, significantly lower than the imported ones priced between P2 million to P3 million each, Ignacio noted.

He explained that their federation is composed of 17 jeepney drivers’ and operators’ associations in Bulacan. A significant number of these associations have routes along MacArthur Highway, a major thoroughfare in the province.