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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Transport strike fails in metro, succeeds in provinces
THE nationwide transportation strike led by a militant drivers group on Monday was hardly felt in urban cities but crippled transportation in most areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) had placed the 15,000-strong force on full alert and provided its own trucks, buses and troop carriers to ferry stranded commuters.
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National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Geary Barias said the strike was peaceful except for a few minor incidents including rallyists blocking the way of passenger jeep drivers.
The militant drivers group, Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston), reported a successful nationwide transport strike.
Piston and other militant groups are protesting the soaring fuel prices and demanded for the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and the 12 percent expanded value-added (VAT) on petroleum products as ways to control the surge of oil prices.
Oil companies implemented over the weekend a P1 increase on all petroleum products, bringing the series of adjustments to P6 in the last two months.
According to Piston spokesman George San Mateo, 80 percent of public transport in Quezon City and in Ortigas, Pasig did not ply their route, while 50 percent were affected in Alabang, Cubao.
Citing reports reaching Manila from their regional chapters across the country, San Mateo said operators and drivers in other cities in the Bicol Region reported a 90 percent paralysis in Naga City, 97 percent in Legaspi City and 97 percent in the province of Sorsogon.
But Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando said the transport strike were able to affect only a small portion of Metro Manila contrary to claims made by Piston.
“It seems that the strike was unsuccessful,” said Fernando adding that they have already readied about 30 vehicles to ferry commuters in the affected areas to their work.
But Fernando said they respect the position of the drivers to participate in the strike even as he called on their leaders to sit down and discuss the issues hounding them with the government.
MMDA said only two to three percent of areas in Metro Manila were affected.
The Department of Transportation and Communications claimed that the minimal effect of the strike was mitigated by the refusal of the larger 1-United Transport Koalisyon not to join the rally.
Other groups, such as the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators, Pang–kalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide, Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines, and Philippine National Taxi Operators Association also did not join the strike.
In Cebu City, the strike was barely felt by the riding public except for the rally conducted by the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (Nadsu) in front of the Land Transportation Office and Department of Energy.
Police said the transport strike failed in the city because of the available vehicles the City Government deployed to ferry the stranded commuting public.
Unlike Cebu City, Iloilo Province’s transportation was reportedly paralyzed by the driver’s strike.
Piston-Panay Chairman Edgar Salarda claimed Iloilo province was 98 percent crippled while the strike in nearby Capiz, Aklan and Antique were also successful.
Davao City was also quiet, with very few commuters moving around. Davao City’s major thoroughfares were not brimming with stranded passengers waiting for a ride, which is the usual scene in the previous strikes.
It was observed Monday that in the southern part of the city, there were more jeepneys than passengers, though jeepneys that plied their routes were relatively less than that on an ordinary day.
People who did not have any important appointments stayed at home, while those whose work places are far from home opted to be absent.
Based on reports obtained by Sun.Star Davao as of noon Monday, no untoward incident has been reported and the transport strike in the city was peaceful.
There were also mixed reports coming from other areas that there was a low 40 percent paralysis in Davao del Sur and a relatively high in Kidapawan City with 85 percent.
In Kidapawan City, at least 80 percent of public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying the city streets and to nearby towns in North Cotabato stopped its operations.
Militant groups in Digos City gathered at Rizal Avenue where they took turns shouting against the oil deregulation law and demanding the National Government to rollback oil prices.
Meanwhile, thousands of passengers hitched a ride on Army trucks and buses in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday after public transport in the city grounded into a halt as drivers went on strike.
Armando Naul, secretary general of the Solidarity Transport Alliance in Northern Mindanao (Starex) said they managed to cripple 97 percent of the city public transportation by 8 a.m. Monday.
But Senior Inspector Lemuel Gonda, chief of police station 1, said they estimated the number of drivers who participated in the transport strike much lower at 85 percent to 90 percent although private vehicles were running.
It was enough though for thousands of passengers to scamper for free rides on five Army M35 trucks and buses provided by the 4th Infantry Division, City Government, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Department of Telecommunication Commission (DOTC).
In Iligan City, “100 percent of all jeepneys have stopped plying their routes," said George San Mateo, secretary general of Piston.
Only pedicabs, calesas (horse-drawn carts), motorbikes and a few private cars could be seen on the streets of Iligan City. Drivers and civil society groups held a march-rally in the morning.(Sun.Star Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (May 13, 2008 issue)
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