A TRANSPORT group in Northern Mindanao appealed to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno to put on hold the strict implementation of the Anti-Smoke Belching Law until jeepneys are phased out through the government's modernization program.
Joel Gabatan, coordinator of the National Confederation of Transport Union (NCTU) in Northern Mindanao, said they are set to face Mayor Oscar Moreno to personally deliver the request of the drivers in the city.
He said several jeepney drivers have opted not to travel, while other have cut trips to avoid apprehensions when the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) enforced the law this week.
Gabatan said this has affected the riding public.
"Ang mga sumasakay gyud ang naperwisyo kay ingon sila dili sila mobyahe hangtod naay dakop (The riding public will be affected because the drivers said they will not operate while the law is enforced)," Gabatan said.
The NCTU-Northern Mindanao has 13 jeepney associations in Cagayan de Oro City, with an average of 60 units each.
The group is asking the City Government not to strictly implement the law since jeepneys will be phased out soon because of the modernization program.
"Maghangyo mi kang Mayor Moreno nga dili lang kaayo striktohon kini kay hapit na man sad ma-phase out ang mga jeep. Humanon na lang unta ang moratorium until 2021 kay iyawat na lang makatigom-tigom ang mga drivers and operators (We appeal to Mayor Moreno not to strictly enforce this since the jeepneys are soon to be phased out. Let's wait for the moratorium to finish until 2021, so the drivers and operators can still get an income)," Gabatan said.
He said about 90 percent of the jeepneys that ply Cagayan de Oro City may fail the smoke emission test.
"Aminado man mi nga naa gyud jeep sobra ka hugaw sa aso ug daghan gyud mobagsak tungod kana sa kadaan sa mga units (We admit that there are really smoke-belching jeepneys, and that's because they're already old)," he added.
Gabatan instead offered a solution, saying drivers and operators would do a monthly maintenance on their units and have it checked by the Clenro.
"Once a month limpyohan ang mga tambutso ug kada bulan mi magpakita sa Clenro para ipasusi (We will do a monthly maintenance of our units and have them checked by Clenro)," Gabatan said. (Alwen Saliring)