Saturday, December 02, 2006 Drivers group offers to stay off streets By Rene H. Martel Sun.Star Staff Reporter
TRANSPORT group Nadsu asked that Asean summit organizers subsidize the drivers, who are directly affected by the rerouting and road closures to be implemented during the activity next month.
In exchange, PUJ drivers would refrain from plying their routes during those times when the ceremonial route and other road networks are closed for the Asean.
That way, PUJ drivers help decongest the roads by their absence. They would be willing to do so if they are assured that they have something to feed their families.
Nadsu chairman Anthony Pogado said they would just ferry private sector employees to their respective workplaces and fetch them afterwards.
Malacañang has modified the four-day holiday for the summit on Dec. 11 to 14 and excluded the private sector in the coverage.
Pogado said that because the roads are closed two hours before the delegates leave their hotels for the summit venues and two hours before they go back, a monstrous traffic jam will happen, like in yesterday’s dry run.
It also takes quite a time for the convoys to pass, and more time is needed before traffic enforcers are able to unclog the streets and ease the traffic flow.
“Our roads are already congested,” he said.
Many public transport drivers did not earn much yesterday.
And due to the lack of guidance from enforcers, Pogado said, drivers were confused where to go because they were diverted to secondary roads.
He asked for organizers to meet transport groups and discuss their plight.
“If the City Government can spend millions for beautification, why not on subsidizing the drivers so they need not go out?” he said.
City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, council committee on transportation chairman, said it worries him that even if yesterday was a holiday, many vehicles were still on the streets, including the ceremonial route.
“It won’t be a holiday during the Asean summit, and I don’t think our plea to the people not to travel too much will keep them from doing Christmas shopping,” he said.
Pogado said the only solution to substantially reduce the number of vehicles is for PUJs to stay off the streets.
