THE United Negros Drivers Operators Center (Undoc), Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros, and Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association, are not joining the strike since the 38th MassKara Festival is ongoing.
Transport groups in the country are opposing the plan of the government to phase out old jeepneys.
Diego Malacad, secretary-general of Undoc, said they are not joining the nationwide strike as they don’t want to cause inconvenience to tourists and visitors.
“We don’t want to embarrass the city that’s why we considered the situation,” he said.
Malacad, however, said they are one with the call of the transport sector.
He said they will hold a lighting march rally on Monday afternoon, October 16, from the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon to the Fountain of Justice.
They will also make a stop in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board office.
Moreover, more than 3,000 of them will join the rally in Cebu City Monday, Malacad said.
“About 3,810 rallyists from Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental will be in Cebu,” he said.
Malacañang has suspended work in all government offices and classes in
both public and private schools nationwide Monday to minimize inconvenience due to the two-day transport strike.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the order for suspension of government work and classes is only for Monday.
He also said the work suspension in private offices is not covered as it is subject to the discretion of their employers.
The Department of Education also issued a memorandum suspending all classes nationwide from kindergarten to Grade 12 in both public and private schools Monday.
The Negros Occidental Provincial Government has also suspended work in government offices in the province along with all local government units in the province.
In Bacolod City, Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the suspension of classes both in public and private schools on Monday.
Executive Order No. 31 signed by Leonardia on Sunday, October 15 stated that President Rodrigo Duterte issued Memorandum Circular 28 declaring that classes in all levels, both public and private schools, and government work, including those in the local government units and government-owned or controlled corporations, will be suspended nationwide on October 16.
The circular was issued to minimize the inconvenience caused to the public by the planned nationwide transportation strike on the said date, the order further stated.
Leonardia said work in all offices and departments of the City Government shall likewise be suspended.
The said offices and departments involved in the delivery of basic services and in emergency or disaster response, such as but not limited to the City Health Office, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, and the Department of Social Services and Development, shall all ensure that there be sufficient manpower to effectively perform their assigned tasks.
Work in private sector is not covered by the order, but is subject to the discretion of the employers.
Major private schools in Bacolod such as the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, University of St. La Salle, and Colegio San Agustin announced on Facebook that classes in all levels are suspended.
Meanwhile, Frank Carbon, regional governor of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental, said establishments in Bacolod will be business as usual Monday.