Commuters told: Brace for nationwide ‘transport holiday’ on March 23; classes suspended due to transport strike
Nationwide transport groups will hold a one-day “transport holiday” on Monday, March 23, pressing President Marcos Jr. for concrete solutions to soaring fuel prices. The Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (Acto) and National Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NFTC) are leading the strike, impacting public utility vehicles. As a direct result, face-to-face classes in several areas across the country are also suspended for Monday, March 23, 2026.
Several transport cooperatives in Northern Mindanao, led by the Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NOMFEDTRASCO), planned a "transport holiday" (a temporary operations pause) for Monday, March 23, 2026, to protest the government's suspension of a P2 fare increase amid soaring fuel prices. Around 52 cooperatives were expected to participate, with drivers expressing frustration over fuel expenses that leave minimal take-home pay. However, other national transport groups like the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associations of the Philippines (FEDODAP) and Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (ELTOP) decided to postpone their planned March 23 transport holiday to instead hold meetings with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
This planned action followed recent nationwide transport strikes by groups like PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide) and MANIBELA that occurred on March 19-20, 2026, protesting surging fuel prices linked to Middle East conflicts. Those strikes disrupted about 60 routes in Metro Manila and ended without resolutions, with protesters demanding immediate oil price rollbacks, removal of excise and value-added taxes on petroleum products, expanded subsidies, and living wages. The government responded with free rides via local services, police and Coast Guard vehicle assistance, and calls for public patience amid fuel costs potentially reaching P120 per liter.
LTFRB Regional Director Aljo Bendijo assured there would be no transport paralysis on March 23 and called for reconsideration of protests to avoid service gaps. MANIBELA warned of wider transport strikes if government fails to deliver on demands like oil price rollbacks and expanded subsidies. The search results do not mention the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) or National Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NFTC) specifically participating in recent strikes or planning one for March 23, with coverage focusing instead on PISTON, MANIBELA, FEDODAP, and ELTOP.
No verified information was found confirming nationwide school suspensions or class cancellations specifically tied to the March 23 transport holiday. The search results indicate that while some regional actions were planned, several national groups postponed their participation, opting for dialogue with government agencies instead of protest actions on that date.
Join the discussion
What do you think? Drop your thoughts below.