|
Monday, March 29, 2004
Country braces for 3-day transpo strike
MANILA -- Drivers and operators nationwide, to be led by the Pinagisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), are set for the three-day nationwide strike starting Monday to force the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to grant its petition for a P1.50 fare adjustment.
However, the Arroyo administration believes that this week's strike "would be a dud" as only a minority would join the activity, according to Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye on Sunday.
Still, Malacaņang assured that military trucks and extra buses would be fielded to help passengers who would be stranded because of the strike.
Bunye said the "more reasonable" transportation groups continue to heed the call of the government to forego a strike.
He added that the LTFRB would come out with a reasonable fare increase.
In General Santos, the militant Transport Integrated for Restructuring Economic Services (Tires) will participate in the nationwide transport strike or Tigil Pasada on Tuesday, from 3 a.m. until noon.
Tires is assailing the continuing increase in fuel prices, which have reportedly gone up 60 times since the passage of the "Downstream and Oil Deregulation Act of 1998."
The group said the situation is further worsened by the imposition of specific taxes on the pump prices of petroleum products.
According to Tires, the government is collecting P5.35 specific tax per liter on premium gasoline, P4.35 per liter on unleaded gasoline, P4.80 per liter on regular gasoline, and P1.63 on diesel.
The group is demanding the suspension of collection of specific taxes and is also calling for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law.
Franchise cancellation
While in Pangasinan, LTFRB Regional Director Patricio Bruno denied LTFRB is threatening operators and drivers who would be joining the transport strike with the cancellation of franchise.
Sun.Star gathered that transport groups in Pangasinan and Dagupan City would go on a three-day strike.
The LTFRB regional director said that he had talked with the bus and jeepney operators and drivers and they have not said they would conduct a strike.
"So I told them to supervise their ranks because joining any secession or demonstration against our lawful government is in violation of the conditions agreed upon in the issuance of their franchise and route," he said.
Bruno said they would confiscate the registration plate of vehicles whose drivers intimidate other drivers who want to ply the streets.
"After removing their plates, we will go by the process of conducting a hearing on their case. If it warrants, we have to suspend their operation," he said.
He said they would show to the people that there is a government that supervises and law enforcers who watch people who violate the laws.
Bruno said they are following a process and it is in accordance with the law that had been enacted in 1948.
"It is against the law to be intimidating and having anarchy on the streets. They will join the strike and force others not ply the streets, flatten the tires of other vehicles, it is not right to us," he said.
As to the earlier directive of President Arroyo to cancel the franchise of those who joined the March 1 Tigil Pasada, he said the LTFRB did not cancel any franchise because public transport in Dagupan resumed operations at 11 a.m.
He said they would monitor the situation Monday and would be bringing along him some personnel from other agencies.
Oil price rollback
The Transport Federation of Cagayan de Oro (Trafeco) also said it would join comrades in other parts of the country in the nationwide transport strike.
Trafeco President Virgilio Valmoria said that while their group doesn't want an increase in fare rates, they are demanding for either an oil price rollback or a fuel price discount--similar to that granted to Manila public transport drivers.
Valmoria said they want a P1.50 oil rebate or discount and cited the P2.10 fuel rebate granted to Manila public transport drivers to justify their petition.
The three-day transportation strike comes in the heels of another recent transport strike that paralyzed most of Luzon and Visayas as well as the cities of Iligan, Butuan and Davao in Mindanao.
The Cagayan de Oro transport sector didn't join the protest action with Trafeco, saying it would wait for negotiations between the National Transport Union, which it is affiliated with, and concerned government transport agencies.
However Valmoria, who is also National Transport Union vice president in Mindanao, said they have waited long enough and would join the transport strike on the last day of this month.
"On our transport strike we are asking public utility vehicle (PUV) operators to join us in our cause. However, we will not stop anyone from traveling and we won't place spikes on the road; we won't stage rallies," Valmoria explained.
Meanwhile, Regional Director Mandangan Darimbang of LTFRB 10 assured there wouldn't be any confiscation of franchises because PUV drivers and operators are expressing legitimate concerns.
Cancelled
While no transport strike would be held in Cebu Monday, the strike would be held Tuesday instead.
Piston's local ally, the Nagkahi-usang Drayber sa Sugbo (Nadsu), will lead the strike where members of at least two transport cooperatives are expected to join.
The Cebu Confederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Inc. (CCTODI), the umbrella organization of all transport groups in Cebu, has yet to come up with a formal statement regarding the strike, which Nadsu said might last until the next day.
Nadsu chairman Anthony Pogado said the strike called by Piston will be on Tuesday, at 1:00 p.m. RHM/Flor Q. Ballesteros/Allen S. Terencio/JMR/Fred Macaraeg
(March 29, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Palace expects SEC, courts to approve Maynilad takeover