14/12/2024
Attention transport sector.
𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝙱𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢: 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝙰𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚏𝚊𝚛𝚎
The 2025 budget passed by Congress is a blatant attack on the public good, prioritizing patronage politics over essential services. By allocating a staggering ₱2.8 billion to NTF-ELCAC and ₱26 billion to AKAP, while providing zero budget for service contracting for transport cooperatives under the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), this budget exposes its skewed priorities.
Transport cooperatives are central to modernizing and improving our public transport system. Yet, instead of supporting their transition, the government has abandoned them, forcing workers to shoulder the costs of compliance. This will cripple their efforts, undermine public mobility, and hurt communities relying on accessible and sustainable transportation.
The paltry funding for transportation pales in comparison to the billions funneled into programs designed to perpetuate patronage politics. This budget is not just short-sighted—it’s one of the worst in history, sacrificing the people’s needs for political gain.
President Marcos Jr. must veto this unjust budget! It is a betrayal of public welfare and sustainable development. We demand a reevaluation to prioritize the real needs of the nation: equitable development, accessible public transportation, and the well-being of all Filipinos. The people will not accept this injustice!
ITF - International Transport Workers' Federation
Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa - Sentro