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Sunday, September 11, 2005
LTO warns: Join strike, lose your license
COMMUTERS will have to cope with a half-day transport strike tomorrow, as part of a nationwide protest against the Arroyo administration.
Director Alex Leyson of the Land Transportation Office said, though, that any interested parties can file complaints with LTO 7 against jeepney drivers who join the strike.
They’ll need evidence that by joining the strike, a driver deprived them of their income. Present that, and the driver’s license will be revoked or suspended, Leyson said.
A transport leader who was recently appointed as administrator of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) also urged those behind the jeepney strike tomorrow to refrain from harassing drivers who will not join them.
CDA Administrator Benjie Yu, former chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco), said a transport strike is unreasonable because the high price of oil in the world market is beyond government’s control.
Anthony Pogado, chairman of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (Nadsu), has announced they will begin the week with a transport strike to support the opposition in Manila in its “shame campaign against President Arroyo.”
A broad coalition of anti-Arroyo groups are planning to stage a series of protests to force the President out of office, after the House of Representatives threw out all three impeachment complaints last Tuesday.
But for Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, prayers, instead of protests, are what people should be offering.
Instead of joining activities that might only aggravate the tension and spawn violence, Vidal said it is best for the Cebuanos to pray, considering that Cebu is in a “state of prayer.”
The prelate’s appeal, issued through a memorandum circular, was published in this week’s issue of Bag-ong Lungsoranon, the archdiocesan’s weekly publication.
Last July, at the height of the controversies hounding President Arroyo over allegations of rigging the May 2004 elections, Vidal put Cebu under a “state of prayer.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is also inviting the faithful to join the National Day of Prayer tomorrow.
In a pastoral letter entitled “Journeying with Mary to Peace,” the CBCP asked all Filipinos to go back to God (conversion), to work as one for the country (reparation) and to promise to God to do things for the good of all the people (consecration).
The National Day of Prayer coincides with the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary.
Vidal is expected to lead the activity with the consecration of the Philippines to the Blessed Mother, Queen of Peace, which will be held in Carmel, Lipa.
But in his homily during the mass for the feast of the San Nicolas Parish yesterday, the cardinal did not talk about the current political turmoil.
He said the trials the people are undergoing are a test of their faith and devotion to God and the ties that bind their families.
People should strive to build a strong Christian family and become a model for others, Vidal further said.
Citrasco, along with Visayas United Drivers Transport Service Cooperative (Vudtrasco) and Alyansa sa Nagkahiusang Drivers Alang sa Reporma (Andar) might have also considered the greater good, as they have refused to support past Nadsu-initiated strikes because the public will suffer.
Rudy Laconza, chairman of the Alliance of Transport Organization Members Intra-Cebu City, said they are not joining the transport strike tomorrow.
Laconsa said they will only join the transport strike on Sept. 21 supported by multi-sectoral groups, to remember the day when former president Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. (EOB/JST/AIV)
(September 11, 2005 issue)
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