City vehicles ready for transport strike

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government is prepared to help the riding public that might be affected if the transport sector players would push through with their threat to stage a transport strike Monday next week.

In a press conference yesterday, Mayor Michael Rama directed City Councilor Dave Tumulak to meet City Hall’s department heads to discuss how to help stranded passengers.

Tumulak said the plan is that the city would deploy all of its Kaohsiung buses and other city-owned vehicles. The barangays, he said, would also be asked to do the same once it is observed that only few vehicles are running in the streets.

Romeo Armamento, head of the association of public utility drivers and operators in Mandaue City, revealed the planned strike in an interview over the weekend.

Jonathan Tumulak, City Traffic Operations Management operations chief, said he was glad Armamento coordinated with them about their protest action next week so the city could prepare.

“We are ready na. We’re glad nga ilang gipahibalo namo daan ug sa public nga mag-strike sila aron menos ang ma-stranded. Mogamit ta sa mga Kaohsiung buses unya mo-tap sab ta sa ubang local government units aron sila motabang paghakot sa taga-ila nga moanhi sa siyudad (We would also request other local government units to help provide transportation to their people going to Cebu City),”Jonathan said.

He said CITOM would not apprehend public utility jeepneys that would ply streets outside their prescribed routes during that day; they, however, should inform CITOM and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

When drivers and operators launched a transport strike last June 19, Rama ordered the suspension of classes in elementary and high school levels so students would not have a hard time going home in the afternoon.

Another transport strike is set on July 21 to in protest against the implementation of Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, which increased the amount of fines against erring drivers.

Rama said he went to the Department of Transportation and Communications office last Friday to bring the sentiments of the drivers and operators.

Although he failed to meet the official he would liked to meet, he promised to bring the voice of Cebu’s transport operators and drivers to DOTC.

“Basta dili ko mohunong pagtabang nga madala sa DOTC ang tingog sa mga drayber (I would not stop in helping bring your concerns to DOTC),” said Rama.

He had said that widening existing roads is the answer to traffic problems, not an increase in fines imposed on violators of traffic laws. (FREEMAN)