Nadsu threatens biggest transport strike in Cebu

A transport group has threatened to stage on June 30 the biggest strike ever in Cebu if the government fails to grant the drivers’ demand for a uniform jeepney fare nationwide, despite government’s new program for conversion of diesel engines to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-run engines.

Roy Opura, chairman of the Nagkahiusang Drayber Sa Sugbu (NADSU), yesterday said that about 7,000 drivers in Cebu will participate in the strike to air their demand for a nationwide minimum fare, following whatever rate prevails in Metro Manila.

The uniform rate is needed because of the continuing increase in the prices of fuel and commodities, Opura said. “Dili kami mohunong samtang padayon pang nagataas ang presyo sa krudo kaming mga drayber and apektado kayo niini ug mga operators,” he said.

Opura said transport groups have called for the cancellation of classes and for a work holiday in private companies so that students and workers will not be affected during the transport strike, set to start at 1am on June 30.

A huge crowd has been expected to join the protest action and that most drivers from different parts of Cebu have already committed to participate in the strike, said Opura.

Romulo Bernardes, director of the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board-7, for his part, said the Nadsu strike will have less effect to commuters because the group does not have a hold on the majority of the public utility jeepneys in Metro Cebu.

The strike will be illegal and it will mean forfeiture of their franchises, said Bernardes, as he was confident that it will not push through anyway because of the latest program that the president had launched also yesterday, during LTFRB’s founding anniversary.

President Gloria Arroyo launched yesterday the multi-billion peso High-Breed Transportation System program, which she said will be carried out before June 30.

Bernardes said that Clifford Jude Niñal, president of the City Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (Citrasco), was present during yesterday’s launching and was pleased with the development.

“Of course we understand their (drivers) sentiment but the president is imposing a program that will teach them how to fish instead of giving them fish,” Bernardes said, referring to the new program in lieu of the 3-month long P2 fuel subsidy for drivers that the government initially planned.

The fuel subsidy is not sustainable, said Bernardes, but the High-Breed Transportation System, with an estimated funding of P47 billion, is a program that would convert the diesel engines of jeepneys nationwide into liquefied petroleum gas-run engines.

Transport groups in Manila, Bernardes said, were even withdrawing their demands for fare increases while calling for the immediate implementation of the LPG conversion assistance. Nadsu will have to think twice before going on a strike, he said.

Taxi drivers and operators, whose units run on LPG fuel, can still cope with the rising cost of fuel for as long as the LPG price will not reach P35 per liter. At present, LPG still costs P31 per liter. Some 3,400 taxis in Metro Cebu, or 85 percent of the total 4,000 units, run on LPG fuel.

Bernardes said LPG is cheap and environmentally safe, the reason why this conversion program will be a big help to the drivers and operators amid the rising cost of gasoline and diesel fuels.

The new program will provide loans, at a minimum of P70,000 for every unit, to an operator to cover the cost of the engine conversion. The loan is payable at P80 daily for two years. It was not yet sure, however, where the money for lending will be sourced by the Arroyo administration.

The implementing rules and regulations of the program, which provides also the manner of loan releasing and amortizing, among others, are being rushed now by authorities to beat the June 30 planned date of the transport strike. — Jasmin R. Uy and Ferliza C. Contratista/RAE