Transport strike hits Central Luzon

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — A transport strike pushed through in Central Luzon yesterday but leaders of public transport groups here are divided on the impact of the protest action staged by militant groups to demand the scrapping of the oil deregulation law and the reduction of toll rates at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Tom Talavera, head of the Alyansa ng Mamamayan at Transport Sector Laban sa NLEX Toll Fee (AKLAS) and spokesperson of the Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators ng Pilipinas (STOP), estimated that 95 percent of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers grounded their vehicles yesterday.

But Waldy Santos, spokesperson of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), said the strike fizzled out in many areas. He also said some 60,000 members of his organization did not participate in the protest action.

Talavera claimed though that 100 percent of PUV drivers joined the strike in Bataan, 90 percent in Pampanga, 75 percent in Zambalez, 60 percent in Tarlac and 40 percent in Nueva Ecija.

PISTON and STOP are known to be at odds and have been holding protest actions separately.

In a statement, PISTON threatened to launch a nationwide transport strike in April to demand the abolition of the oil deregulation law and stop oil price increases.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) readied alternative vehicles in Pampanga in case passengers get stranded during the transport strike.

In a phone interview with The STAR, DOTC Action Center chief Ferdinand Lagman said 50 buses and FX taxicabs were put on standby to ferry stranded commuters.

"If the commuters would be affected badly, we have alternatives," Lagman said. "No one was stranded."

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) warned transport groups in Central Luzon that they will lose their franchise if proven that they participated in the regionwide strike yesterday.

Meanwhile, reports from Bataan showed that classes at all levels were suspended and hundreds of government employees failed to report for work due to the one-day strike.

Militant drivers tried to put up a human barricade at Layac junction, Dinalupihan town but police operatives from the 303rd Police Mobile Group peacefully dispersed the rallyists after convincing its leaders not to disrupt the flow of traffic.

Two Bataan Transit buses, with license plates DVD-194 and CWW-437 bound for Manila from Mariveles town, were splashed with red paint while traveling along the Roman Superhighway in Barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles early in the morning.

Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, Bataan deputy police director for operations, said Senior Superintendent Hernando Zafra, Bataan police director, held a dialogue with 11 striking officers regarding their grievances. — With Sandy Araneta, Raffy Viray, Perseus Echeminada