Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Nadsu to stage strike; vows to cripple traffic
A TRANSPORT group said it will go on strike on June 30 regardless of whether or not their demand for an increase in fare is granted.
Ruben Rama, secretary general of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (Nadsu) announced during a press conference in the group’s headquarters along Ouano Ave., Mandaue City.
Rama said jeepney drivers can no longer take the series of fuel increases while it’s not clear yet if their demand for increase in fare will be granted.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 has given the transport group until tomorrow to present supporting papers for their demand.
The Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco) and the Visayas United Drivers Transport and Allied Services Cooperative (Vud-trasco) were the ones who first scheduled a strike supposedly yesterday.
They called it off after a public hearing last week showed positive results.
Rama said that with or without increase, their strike will go on.
Anniversary
Clifford Niñal, head of Citrasco, said he will try to talk Nadsu officials against going on with the strike.
Niñal was attending LTFRB’s 21st anniversary in Manila yesterday when Sun.Star Superbalita called him.
He said President Arroyo has drafted a plan for drivers to own vehicles by paying only P80 a day for two years without interest, or they can buy the vehicle for P500,000 also without interest.
But for Rama, drivers shouldn’t be fooled by this kind of promise from the government. Instead, they should fight for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law and the 12 percent value added tax on oil.
Difficult
Rama said these two laws are what make life difficult not just for drivers but for everybody.
On June 30, drivers will stop plying their routes from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. The schedule is chosen so commuters will not have the inconvenience of getting rides to their destinations only to find themselves stranded in the afternoon, Rama said.
He also called on the students and workers and those who owned private vehicles to support the strike by staying home.
Nadsu will not ask the support of other transport groups because they have enough members to paralyze traffic, Rama said. (CPL)
