MAJOR transport organizations in the province will join the nationwide transport strike from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, September 30, to protest against the government's Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) Modernization Program.
Jessie Ortega, secretary general of Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros (SSTONE) projects, said a 90 to 95 percent paralysis of PUVs Monday.
The Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association (Febacda) was the first to decide to join the nationwide stranport strike with SSTONE, while the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center also decided to join per confirmation of their Secretary General Diego Malacad.
The PUV modernization program will be implemented on July 1, 2020.
The transport groups strongly opposed the phase out of old PUVs and replacing them with Class 3 vehicles being peddled by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which costs P2.4 million per unit.
Another issue also being protested by the groups is the LTFRB's plans to consolidate the franchises by way of forming corporation which will give way for the control of all PUVs in the country.
They claimed that under the LTFRB's plans, all transport cooperatives will ultimately be abolished and subsumed by the corporations.
Ortega said SSTONE and Febacda members will converge in major areas in the city at the Lopue's East road, Mandalagan area, under the flyover at Araneta Street and Banago, while members of UNDOC and Bayan-Negros will converge in Libertad and Singcang area where they will air out their concerns.
Meanwhile in a Memorandum issued on September 27 to all Capitol department heads, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson informed the employees that the Provincial Engineer's Office will provide four vehicles for carpooling for the provincial government employees which will be located in four strategic areas at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Parish Church in Barangay Mansilingan, Caltex Gasoline Station in Barangay Bata, Lopue's East Caltex Station in Barangay Villamonte, and GSIS, Barangay Tangub in Bacolod City from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.