Military intensifies security for SONA

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The military is intensifying its anti-terror monitoring to avert any diversionary attack that may disrupt the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos on July 24.

Intelligence agents have been deployed in certain areas in Mindanao to monitor movements of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group and other terrorist organizations including the Dawlah Islamiyah, according to Col. Randolph Rojas, chief of the Joint Task Force Zamboanga.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will give commuters free rides during the planned three-day transport strike from July 24 to 26.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they would deploy their available vehicles to assist the riding public that would be stranded.

Mar Valbuena, president of transport group Manibela, earlier vowed to paralyze public transportation in Metro Manila and other provinces as about 200,000 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers will reportedly participate in the strike.

Fajardo reminded members of Manibela who would participate in the strike not to harass drivers from other transport groups from plying their routes.?She warned drivers not to hamper the flow of traffic.

Terror groups

Rojas said all intelligence units have been dispersed in all quadrant sites to monitor the presence or movement of the terror group and its affiliates.

“We have close coordination with intelligence communities in the neighboring provinces. That is our mandate, to monitor the activities of the terrorists in this part of the region,” he said, noting no terror attacks have been recorded in Zamboanga City in the past six years due to the military’s continuous anti-terrorist operations.

He said they have not monitored any threat from the terror group amid reports that Abu Sayyaf bomb expert Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, alias Mundi, was spotted in Basilan last month.

Ready

The Metro Manila Development Authority assured the public that it is prepared to address the situation on SONA day and prevent inconvenience to commuters, MMDA acting chair Don Artes said.

During an inter-agency meeting held at the MMDA office in Pasig City yesterday, Artes, along with MMDA senior deputy executive secretary Hubert Guevarra and MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana, laid out contingency plans that have been put in place by the Inter-Agency Task Force Monitoring Team.

The meeting intended to devise plans that would prevent inconvenience to the commuting public during the transport strike. Measures discussed include deploying rescue vehicles to assist affected passengers and monitoring weather conditions on SONA day.

Guevarra urged local government units to cooperate with the single dispatching system of rescue assets at the MMDA Command Center in order to quickly response to emergencies.

Meanwhile, transport operators’ group “Magnificent 7” on Monday assured the MMDA officials that it would not participate in the transport strike.

Class suspension

The Quezon City government will suspend classes in all levels in both public and private schools on July 24.

Mayor Joy Belmonte signed an executive order suspending classes in light of the President’s SONA, which will be held at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.

Although it is already school break for many students, the city government said there are others who are taking midyear classes who may be affected by road closures.

Negotiate

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is urging transport leaders to return to the negotiating table instead of pushing through with their plan.

LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz said the government and transport leaders could iron out their differences and urged transport groups to cancel the strike.

Manibela set the transport holiday from July 24 to 26, and called for the resignation of Guadiz and Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista.

Valbuena said the group would continue with the strike as members want Marcos to hear their woes.

“Paralyzing the transportation is not the objective. I just want the President to know that his ‘no phaseout statement’ did not happen,” Valbuena said in Filipino.

Several major transport organizations have offered support to the government and refused to join the transport strike.

These groups include the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas, Pasang Masda and Stop and Go as well as the Provincial Bus Operators Association.

Guadiz said the LTFRB is reviewing the omnibus franchising guidelines of the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP) as what was committed during the end of the first transport strike in April.

He said some policy changes are in the works, including an increased equity subsidy for modernized units.

The government is planning to increase the subsidy to around P360,000 from the current P160,000.

The government is also set to release the fuel subsidy to provide support for transport workers.

Bautista said the government is trying to balance the interest of the PUV drivers and operators, and development.

Massive rally

Militant groups have vowed to launch a massive rally on SONA day.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other cause-oriented groups promised to highlight the worsening human rights abuses,?economic crisis and cronyism under the Marcos administration in what they described as the people’s SONA.

Bayan president Renato Reyes said they have yet to determine the estimated crowd for the demonstrations.The protesters will open their program at 10 a.m. in front of the Commission on Human Rights along Commonwealth Avenue.

Also expected to join the protest actions are members of rights group Karapatan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalayaka ng Pilipinas, Amihan, Anakpawis, Anakbayan and Bayan Muna. — Janvic Mateo, Emmanuel Tupas, Mark Ernest Villeza