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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Transport strike ends as Arroyo signs EO 712
MANILA -- Major public transport groups staged strike Tuesday morning, but decided to stop later after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved their much-awaited implementation of the single-ticketing system.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Alberto Suansing said the transport groups agreed to stop the strike after receiving a copy of Executive Order (EO) 712.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
EO 712 will cover, among others, the single-ticketing system, truck ban, terminal fees, and franchise to tricycle operators. It will take effect in 15 days.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the transportation and local government departments would conduct a review of different ticketing systems in all cities and municipalities in Metro Manila.
Stranded commuters
Early Tuesday morning, hundreds of commuters were stranded in various parts of southern Metro Manila, as drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) joined the strike.
Rally organizers said 90 to 95 percent of public transportations were paralyzed.
The transport groups protested the recent rise in local pump prices and the different ticketing systems in the metropolis.
They also complained Local Government Ordinance 4136 where a traffic violator is ordered to pay P500 in fine and an additional five percent if he fails to have the amount in a week's time.
As early as 6 a.m., hundred of commuters including students were seen milling near the Baclaran terminal, Pasay Rotunda, Guadalupe in Makati as well as some parts of Parañaque and Alabang in Muntinlupa as passenger jeepneys and buses stop plying their regular routes.
Many commuters were also seen milling at Commonwealth Avenue, Tandang Sora Avenue and Philcoa in Quezon City as of 8:30 a.m.
The strike also caused hundreds of stranded passengers along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) and other major highways.
A similar scenario was also observed in other parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
School classes
The Department of Education (DepEd) in the National Capital Region said classes were not suspended despite the Metro Manila-wide transport strike.
Education Regional Director Teresita Domalanta said classes for Tuesday in all levels in Metro Manila public schools have not been suspended despite the strike.
Domalanta said the department does not suspend classes just because of a transport strike although they are in coordination with the various local government units to update them on the situation.
She added that private school officials have the discretion to suspend classes.
According to Domalanta, classes were not suspended because public school students usually live near the schools.
She also said the scheduled National Achievement Test (NAT) for second year high school students also pushed through.
She said superintendents and principals of all public and private elementary and high schools have been advised that Tuesday will be a regular class day.
On the other hand, several colleges and universities, mostly in the cities of Manila and Quezon, suspended classes because of the strike.
Schools that advised the suspension of classes were the Philippine Christian University (PCU), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), University of the Philippines Manila and Diliman campuses, People's Music Training Center in Quezon City, Spurgeon School Foundation Inc., Diliman Preparatory School, St. Paul University, Sta. Isabel College and Lourdes School.
Free rides
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed buses, cars, and trucks to ferry passengers to their destinations.
The MMDA also lifted the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or commonly known as the "number-coding" for private vehicles to lessen the number of people affected by the strike.
Police also deployed two trucks that ferry passengers from Guadalupe to Leon Guinto in Manila, one of the busiest routes in the metropolis, as part of their "Oplan Libreng Sakay."
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Geary Barias said about 80 percent of public transportations were paralyzed by the strike at 9 a.m. although it eventually returned to normal by noon time.
He cited Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, parts of Pasay City, and Quiapo district in Manila as among the areas worst hit by the transport strike.
Generally peaceful
According to Senior Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP), the strike ended before noon Tuesday with no untoward incident reported.
"The transport holiday was over 10:45 a.m. There was an executive order that was issued and signed by our President and that order was relayed to the MMDA and some leaders of the transport groups," said Bartolome.
He said at least 80 percent of the public transportations were paralyzed due to the strike. Thousands of commuters have been stranded in the streets due to fewer passenger vehicles that continued their trips.
"The assessment of the PNP is that the highest level of paralyzation of the transport strike was 80 percent. At first, its effect was very minimal but it later worsened. At 10:45 a.m., the transport system began to normalize," he said.
Bartolome said with the peaceful ending of the transport strike, the NCRPO is now about to downgrade its full alert status. The NCRPO declared a full alert status on Monday for any eventuality during the strike.
PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. ordered all police units involved in motorists and commuters assistance operations to remain in their posts until the end of the day.
Although transport groups called off their self-declared "transport holiday," Razon said the PNP continued assisting stranded motorists until after the situation has normalized.
He expressed gratitude to leaders of transport groups who decided to suspend the transport holiday, even as he acknowledged the peaceful and orderly activities staged by the different organizations from the transport sector.
He also commended all PNP personnel for continuing to perform their law enforcement and public safety duties, especially in providing assistance to commuters, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for making available their transport assets for "Libreng Sakay" operations.
"Today's exercise proved once again the trustworthiness of 'Mamang Pulis', and the commitment of the PNP to serve the best interest of the Filipino people," Razon said. (AH/VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (March 12, 2008 issue)
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