Riders group demand ayuda ahead of SONA

 

The riders’ rights group Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong (Kagulong) asked the government for a package of social assistance for the so-called “bagong bayani” ahead of the first SONA of President Bongbong Marcos.

 

Kagulong held a pre-SONA online gathering yesterday were riders aired their grievances and tabled a set of demands. The group plans to join the alternative SONA mobilization of civil society groups on Monday.

 

“Protection of riders’ rights, livelihood and safety are the three main issue facing the riding community. These can be addressed by the new government through legislation or executive action,” stated Don Pangan Kagulong secretary-general.

 

He explained that the incomes of food delivery, courier and motorcycle taxi riders have been severely affected by rising prices of gasoline. As independent contractors, fuel costs as well as vehicle maintenance are shouldered by riders and not the apps.

 

“When gas prices were around P60 per liter, riders spent P200 to P300 for travelling for 8 to 10 hour a day. Now that gas costs P70 to P80 per liter, fuel expenses have risen to P300 to P400 but gross incomes have remained the same. So, a rider earning P800 daily gets to take home only P500 today instead of P600 or more previously. This net income is now below the minimum wage. Riders are falling into the ranks of the working poor. Thus, the urgency of the demand for subsidized fuel and basic goods,” Pangan elaborated.

 

He added “In addition, riders set aside P50 daily for vehicle maintenance and P100 to P150 weekly (P150/7 days = P21.42) for their cellphone load. This just leaves P428.58 as the take-home pay of a rider. If the spouse also works as a rider, the aggregate household income comes up to only a little more than P800 daily which falls short of the P1,300 cost of living estimate of Partido Manggagawa. No wonder that if riders fall sick or meet an accident then they plunge into debt given that they have no social protection as self-employed workers. Therefore, we demand recognition as employees with labor rights and social security.”

 

Kagulong is also asking Congress to repeal the Doble Plaka law for being discriminatory to riders and authorities for better enforcement of road safety laws.

Kagulong

July 21, 2022

PM sides with riders and commuters in opposing double big plate and ban on Angkas

Workers are both riders and commuters, thus, imposing rigid and prohibitive rules in the streets adds more burden to the working people and reinforces class discrimination in the guise of road safety and anti-crime campaign.

According to Partido Manggagawa (PM), the ban on Angkas operations, a popular motorcycle taxi denies thousands of working people a faster and safer mobility in NCR while the recently enacted law requiring double big plates for motorcycles is an added cost and poses safety concerns for riders whose vehicles were not designed for such anti-crime innovations.

"Banning Angkas and requiring double big plates on motorcycles will neither improve traffic conditions and road safety nor contain criminal activities of organized crime groups. Only organized communities, a disciplined police force, and a modern mass transport system can solve these age old public services deficit," said PM in a statement issued during the indignation activities conducted by thousands of motorcycle riders in Quezon City this morning.

The group said workers utilize motorcycles as the most economical and faster mode of bringing themselves to their workplaces or as the means of livelihood themselves as in the case of app-abled Angkas and other courier services.

"The government must adopt a flexible policy on this issue as rigid and discriminatory rules impacts heavily on workers," added PM.

At the same time it urges the riding community to help the government in ensuring road safety by raising the level of training and professionalism among riders in particular and by actively involving themselves in anti-crime, environment, emergency response and other social mobilizations at the community levels.

16 December 2018

PM welcomes MMDA proposal for fixed monthly salaries for drivers

Press Release

May 19, 2011

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) welcomed the proposal from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) of fixed monthly salaries for bus drivers and conductors instead of commission-based pay. The group also offered to involve labor leaders in the inspections that the MMDA and the Department of Labor and Employment plan to conduct tomorrow in bus terminals.

Renato Magtubo, PM chair. meanwhile slammed bus operators for opposing the fixed income scheme. “We ask the bus operators to moderate their greed in interest of road safety and workers welfare. Bus companies have the gall to say that drivers and conductors might reject the fixed income proposal because it will reduce their pay when in fact it is they who oppose it because it will diminish their profit,” Magtubo explained.

“The death of journalist and professor Chit Estella-Simbulan would not have been in vain if it leads to reforms in road safety such as better working conditions for drivers and conductors. As Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz had earlier ok’ed our proposal for labor groups to get involved in labor inspections, we now ask the DOLE and MMDA to immediately deputize labor leaders as labor inspectors before another commuter and worker is killed,” stated Magtubo.

PM had earlier called on the DOLE to deputize labor leaders as inspectors in the wake of the twin accidents at Eton construction sites in Makati and Quezon City. “Aside from the abusive commission-based pay, rampant contractualization at bus companies must also be addressed. Happy workers are hard and safe workers. Bus companies must realize that the increase in productivity in the long-term will make up for their short-term decrease in profit,” Magtubo asserted.

Gerry Rivera, president of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) called on bus drivers, conductors, mechanics and other workers to unionize. “A unionized establishment is a safe and satisfying workplace. We are willing to help fellow workers in the transport sector who will exercise their Constitutionally-protected right to organize. PALEA and the International Transport Federation will support them in this effort,” he elaborated.

PALEA is an affiliate of the ITF, a global union that represents some 4.6 million workers in the transport sector. In a hearing called by the House of Representatives Labor Committee on the labor row at Philippine Airlines, PALEA called on solons to pass a measure to mandate fixed income wages for bus drivers and conductors, and to report out the pending Security of Tenure bill. The latter bill seeks to curb contractualization in establishments, including the air and land transport.