National Confederation of TransportWorkers Union - NCTU

📣 KRISIS SA LANGIS AT TRANSPORTASYON: DAGOK SA MGA TSUPER AT MANGGAGAWA❗️

Programang Service Contracting at Ayuda ng Gobyerno, sapat nga ba?

Samahan niyo kami sa aming programa ang ngayong gabi, live mapakikinggan 666khz sa radyo, at mapapanuod sa official page & Youtube Channel ng DZRH News Television DZRH News at RHTv sa cable.

Mr. Aguilar, Secretary General of NCTU, as one of the esteemed resource person for the 1st Thursday Talks of the 2026 CBILLS Program. Reclaiming Representation; A Retrospective on the Philippine Party-list System Towards Representative Politics

He stated that: The party-list system was created to give people like us a voice. But for me, reclaiming representation is not just about having seats in Congress. It is about using those seats to fight for real change.

Because at the end of the day, I measure representation not by what is said in Congress, but by what is felt on the ground.

Can I earn enough to live with dignity?
Can commuters rely on safe and affordable transport?
Do policies serve the many, or just a few?

If the answer is no, then for me, representation is still lacking.

That is why I say this clearly:
We must reclaim representation.
Reclaim it from tokenism.
Reclaim it from elite interests.
And bring it back to the people it was meant to serve.

Because only then can we build a system that truly reflects our lives, our struggles, and our aspirations as Filipinos.

𝟐 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝟏 - Reclaiming Representation: A Retrospective on the Philippine Party-list System!

Thirty-one years since the enactment of Republic Act No. 7941, or the Party-List System Act, the question of what the party-list system has eventually become in terms of representing Filipinos in the legislative institution has become a long-running discussion.

Join the conversation featuring Prof. Jorge Tigno from the UP Department of Political Science, with panelists Atty. Ma. Anne Tonette Rivera from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Atty. Ryan Jay Roset from LENTE Philippines, Secretary General Jaime Aguilar from the National Confederation of TransportWorkers Union - NCTU, and moderator, Senate of the Philippines Committee Secretary on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation Atty. Dana Alberto.

Together, let us explore what meaningful representation looks like for Filipinos in today’s political landscape.

📆 16 April 2026
⏰ 1:00pm to 4:30pm
🎥 via Facebook Live. No registration needed.

For more updates on the lecture, like our Official page or email [email protected].

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬, 𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐛𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨?

Matapos ang mahigit isang buwan ng tuloy-tuloy na krisis dulot ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, malinaw na hindi sapat ang naging tugon ng gobyerno. Tinimbang, ngunit kulang—at hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ganitong kalagayan.

Kinikilala natin ang anumang hakbang na ibinibigay, ngunit hindi nito nasasagot ang lalim ng krisis na kinakaharap ng sektor ng transportasyon. Sa kasalukuyan, maraming transport worker ang napipilitang magbawas ng operasyon. May mga tsuper na mas pinipiling hindi na bumiyahe dahil sa lugi, habang ang iba ay patuloy na pumapasada kahit kapos na kapos na.

Habang araw-araw nalulugi ang mga tsuper at unti-unting humihinto ang operasyon ng mga transport worker, nananatiling mabagal at kapos ang aksyon ng pamahalaan. Ang sinasabing mga hakbang ay pawang 𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚-𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧—malayo sa tunay na pangangailangan ng isang sektor na matagal nang naghihingalo. Habang tumatagal, mas lumalala ang pinsalang mahirap nang baligtarin

​​Ayon kay 𝐄𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳, National Chairman ng National Confederation of Transportworkers Union, “𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘶𝘨𝘰𝘯—𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞 𝙥𝙖 𝙞𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙨 𝙣𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙥𝙖𝙙. 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘱𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘬𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞 𝙥𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙜𝙖𝙥 𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙠𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙮𝙪𝙙𝙖.” Malinaw na may seryosong problema sa sistema ng pagpapatupad: magulo, mabagal, at hindi umaabot sa nakararami.

Nasaan ang sense of urgency? Hindi namin ito maramdaman.

Sa bawat araw na lumilipas, mas maraming transport worker ang nawawalan ng kita, mas maraming ruta ang nababawasan ng biyahe, at mas maraming pasahero ang naaapektuhan. Ngunit ang tugon ng gobyerno ay tila hindi sumasabay sa tindi ng krisis.

Ano ang plano para sa 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐠𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚 na hindi sakop ng inyong mga pansamantalang ayuda? Paano ang libu-libong transport worker na iniwan sa laylayan ng inyong mga programa? Kailangan pa ba munang huminto nang lubusan ang operasyon ng mahigit 75% 𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐠𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 na hindi nakikinabang sa inyong tugon bago kayo kumilos nang sapat at seryoso?

“𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦. 𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢-𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘺𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘢 𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴 ” pahayag ni 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫, Secretary General ng NCTU

Kung may political will, may paraan. Bakit hindi gamitin ang 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 upang palakasin at pabilisin ang tugon ng gobyerno? Bakit patuloy na umaasa sa pira-pirasong solusyon, samantalang ang problema ay malawakan at sistemiko?

Malinaw ang aming panawagan:

1. Ipatupad ang komprehensibong Net Service Contracting para sa lahat ng uri ng transport worker at ruta.
2. Dagdagan ang badyet para mas maraming transport unit ang masuportahan, hindi kakarampot na 50,000 units lamang. Wala pa ‘yang kalahati ng mga PUV sa Pilipinas.

Magbigay ng agaran at sapat na subsidiya na nakaangkla sa tunay na gastos sa operasyon. Hindi lamang simbolikong ayuda, ngunit sapat na ayuda para mabuhay ang sektor ang maitawid ang serbisyo ng transportasyon ngayong krisis.

Siguruhin ang kasiguruhan ng kita at kabuhayan ng mga transport worker sa gitna ng krisis. Gumamit ng mga emergency power upang maglunsad ng malawak, mabilis, at epektibong national response. Ire-allocate ang pondo mula sa ibang infrastructure projects para magamit sa mabilisan at agarang pagsuporta sa naghihingalong mga komyuter at transport worker natin sa ikatlong linggo sa krisis.

Sa huli, ang krisis sa langis ay hindi lamang problema ng transport sector—ito ay 𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐈𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨. May domino effect ito: mula sa pamasahe, presyo ng lahat ng bilihin, hanggang sa kabuhayan ng milyun-milyong Pilipino. Kaya ang tugon ay dapat may malinaw na direksyon at 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲—hindi kulang, hindi mabagal, at lalong hindi para lamang sa iilan.

Hindi dapat hinahayaan na ang mga transport worker lamang ang mahirapan sa matinding dagok ng krisis. Responsibilidad ng gobyerno na protektahan ang sektor at tiyakin na may sapat, mahusay, at makatarungang sistema ng transportasyon para sa lahat.

Sa panahon ng krisis, ang tugon ay dapat hindi kulang—kundi sapat, makatarungan, at nakatuon sa pangangailangan ng mamamayan.

This Easter Sunday, we are reminded that every journey holds hope, renewal, and new beginnings.

Just like in the transport sector, where every trip connects people, communities, and opportunities—today is a celebration of moving forward with purpose, resilience, and faith.

To all transport workers who keep our roads, seas, and skies moving—your dedication brings life to every destination. May this day renew your strength and inspire safer, better journeys for all.

Happy Easter! 🌅🚍⚓✈️

READ: Solidarity Statement of 124 organizations on the recent oil crisis

Krisis sa Langis, Krisis sa Mobilidad:
Panawagan para sa Tunay at Sistemikong Reporma sa Transportasyon
Solidarity Statement on the Oil Crisis
01 April 2026

Read the full statement below or click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iEydWxqD7zlxTBa0nnIEPBtnV4mukCoXpU3u9Vm9zLQ/edit?tab=t.92xiqfxl4jlu

From the Streets to LTFRB: Cebu Transport Groups Demand Relief from Rising Fuel Costs.

The joint mobilization held on March 23, 2026, in front of the LTFRB-7 office in Cebu City reflects the growing urgency faced by transport workers as rising fuel prices continue to erode their already fragile livelihoods. National Confederation of Transportworkers Union-NCTU Affiliates in Cebu, Partidong Manggagawa Sentro Cebu, alongside transport groups and TNVS riders, the protest underscores a shared reality: daily earnings are no longer sufficient to meet basic family needs.

The dialogue with LTFRB-7 Director Abosamen Matuan marks an important step, but it also highlights the pressing need for concrete and immediate solutions. Transport workers are not only seeking to be heard—they are demanding responsive policies that address fuel price volatility, ensure fair income, and protect the welfare of drivers and operators who keep public mobility running.

This mobilization sends a strong message: without timely government intervention, the burden on transport workers will continue to deepen, with far-reaching consequences not only for their families but also for the commuting public who depend on them every day.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐍𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐀𝐢𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐘𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

The announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the planned fare hikes is being framed as a pro-people decision. But for transport workers across the country, it exposes a deeper contradiction: 𝐢𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬?

Once again, it is the drivers, operators, and small transport cooperatives who are expected to absorb the impact of relentless oil price hikes driven by global conflict and market instability. Every increase in fuel prices eats directly into their daily earnings. Every day without real support pushes them closer to debt, exhaustion, and collapse.

Let us be clear: 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟—𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠.

The government points to fuel subsidies as its response, but those on the ground know their limits. Subsidies come late, fall short, and fail to reflect the actual cost of operating in a time of crisis. They are not designed to sustain livelihoods—they are designed to soften the blow, even as the pressure continues to build.

As Jaime Aguilar, Secretary General of the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union, explains:
“𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯—𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦? 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵.”

What is needed now is not another short-term intervention, but a systemic shift—a recognition that public transport is a public good, and those who operate it deserve stability, protection, and dignity.
This is why we demand the 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭.

Service contracting is not charity. It is a policy that places responsibility where it belongs—on the state. By compensating drivers and operators based on the service they provide, it ensures stable income, continuous operations, and affordable fares for the public. But this program must not remain limited to a few routes or selected beneficiaries.

It must be 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬—jeepneys, buses, UV Express, TNVS, tricycles, and other sectors that form the backbone of everyday mobility. No worker should be excluded. No sector should be left to fend for itself.

As Raul Permites, Chairman of MILTRASCO, emphasized:
“𝘈𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴.”

The suspension of fare hikes, on its own, is an incomplete policy. Without a parallel expansion of state support, it risks deepening the crisis it claims to address. Transport workers are not asking for temporary relief—they are demanding structural change.

They are demanding a system where: livelihoods are protected, services are sustained, and public transport is treated as a right, not a privilege. If the government is serious about protecting commuters, then it must also stand with those who move them every single day.

𝐍𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞.
Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa - Sentro
ITF - International Transport Workers' Federation
Olof Palmes Internationella Center