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Monday, March 01, 2004
Untat biyahe starts; gov't sets up pick-up pts.
By Christine Mae A. Pelayo
THE nationwide two-day Untat Biyahe starts Monday -- the second in a span of barely three months.
Jessie Ortega, secretary-general of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc), said they are expecting a 90 to 95 percent paralysis of public transport operations all over Negros Occidental.
He reiterated their demand for a P1.50 fare hike in the heels of the series of oil price increases, onerous tax impositions and skyrocketing prices of basic commodities.
But while Undoc said the rally is all set, drivers and operators allied with the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association, Inc. (Febacda) disclosed they would not participate in the two-day transport strike.
Febacda revealed commuters within Bacolod City need not worry because their operations would be normal.
In their position paper, Febacda said that they are not prepared in the proposed two-day strike and that the strike is not nationwide in scope.
Febacda also disclosed that the Vallacar Transport Corp., operator of Ceres buses, will not also possibly join the strike and even mulled the possibility of having their own protest action on March 8.
Ortega scored Febacda for the vacuum in its leadership and for misleading the public through its statement.
He added that VTI owner Roy Yanson signified his support to participate in the Untat Biyahe.
But Febacda maintained that the rally would still be on March 8, and not March 1 as originally planned.
They cited the weekly media forum of transport leaders Zeny Maranan of Fejodap, Efren Luna of Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organization and Boy Vargas of the Alliance of Transport Operators and Jeepney Drivers Association of the Philippines, where the latter disclosed they have all agreed with other jeepney drivers and operators federations such as the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) to paralyze the jeepney transport all over the country on March 8.
"Febacda will maintain its stand as stated in its press release that it will go with major Federations of Drivers Association in National Capital Region and nationwide in scope," Febacda's press statement read.
Protest areas
But it is all systems go for Ortega's group. He disclosed that the two main protest areas would be at Ramos and Singcang Streets.
He added that they will also try to set up protest areas in Libertad and Burgos streets.
Ortega further said private schools including the University of St. La Salle, West Negros College, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, La Consolacion College and Colegio San Agustin would not hold classes because of the strike.
Public schools, however, have not declared whether or not they will hold classes.
Assistance
On the other hand, Mayor Luzviminda Valdez disclosed that the City Government will deploy several government vehicles to assist commuters in their transportation needs on Monday and Tuesday.
Valdez issued a memorandum to all city department heads and executive assistants that two city buses, five dump trucks, all police cars, all vehicle services of department heads, utility multicabs and all other City Government vehicles be used to assist in ferrying commuters from their respective barangays to within the immediate proximity of their places of work.
The mayor also directed the Public Assistance and Affairs Division (PAAD) to field their casual employees to wear their respective identification cards as well as the auxiliary police and traffic enforcers to serve as marshals to assist the public.
The pick-up routes include: Banago Barangay Hall going through San Juan St. to City Hall ; Bata Barangay Hall-Lacson Street-Rizal Street-San Juan Street-City Hall; Granada Barangay Hall-Burgos-San Juan St.-City Hall-Pepsi (Bata) and vice versa; Mansilingan, Police Station 7-Libertad-Araneta-City Hall and vice versa; Sum-ag, Police Station 9-City Hall-proceed to Mansilingan pick-up point.
(March 1, 2004 issue)
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