Marikina Hotel and Convention Center
14 May 2012
President Benigno S. Aquino III joined transport leaders and stakeholders in this year’s National Transport Conference held at the Marikina Hotel and Convention Center.
In his keynote speech, President Aquino hailed the action of the country’s most prominent transport groups to bring back the minimum jeepney fare to P8 from P8.50 as oil companies made their biggest rollback on fuel prices this year.
“Saludo ako sa ginawa ninyong rollback sa pasahe; sa pagbalik ninyo nito sa 8 pesos, mula sa 8.50. Walang pilitan, walang tulakan, walang bangayan –nagbukal po ito sa pagkukusa, nagbukal po ito sa malasakit ninyo sa kapwa Pilipino,” the President said.
1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-UTAK) chairman Atty. Vigor Mendoza II led the presentation of a manifesto to withdraw the provisional fare increase of P0.50 granted on March 20, 2012. He was joined by leaders of the Federation of Jeepney Owners and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), Land Transportation Operators of the Philippines (LTOP), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), Pangkalahatang Sangguniang Metro Manila and Suburbs Association (PASANG-MASDA) and NTU-Transporter.
Organized by 1-UTAK, the conference aims to encourage transport organizations to purchase and opt for a single product brand, dubbed as the “Buy as One Movement,” so they can avail themselves of volume discounts and incentives under a cooperative setup.
The Union of Workers Cooperative of the Philippines (UWCP) is the umbrella organization with thousands of primary cooperative members under its wing.
Also present during the event were Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Jaime Jacob and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva.
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