Cebu City gov't ready for transport strike

CEBU CITY - The city government is prepared for the transport strike the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo is staging today.

Paul Miaga of the Office of the Mayor said the city government will be fielding all city-owned vehicles to ferry passengers who may be stranded by the strike.

The vehicles include 28 Kaohsiung buses, dumptrucks, Multicabs and service vehicles of barangays and City Hall departments.

"All the vehicles will be here at the City Hall. This will be the action center so that we can easily monitor the deployment of the vehicles," Miaga said.

He said the Cebu City police will deploy two policemen on each bus, aside from law enforcers who will patrol the streets to thwart any violence or acts of harassment.

Deputy police chief Edison Ardaniel said the city police, despite manpower problems, will deploy enough personnel to protect commuters and jeepney drivers who will not join the strike.

The city government of Mandaue and its police force are also preparing for the protest action.

Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano said the city's disaster coordinating council is tasked to carry out measures to counter the adverse effects of the strike.

Ouano said his office is closely coordinating with the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu to counter the impact of the strike.

He also promised to address complaints that only the Cebu City government fielded vehicles to ferry passengers during last week's transport strike.

The transport strike will involve jeepneys plying the Oppra, Banawa, Guadalupe, Port Area, Bulacao-Pardo, Inayawan and Ayala-SM-Labangon routes in Cebu City and the Mandaue-Ouano and Consolacion routes.

About 500 drivers of Multicabs plying the Minglanilla-Cebu City route and tricycles in Lapu-Lapu City are also joining the strike.