BACOLOD City Councilor Al Victor Espino assured the riding public that there are enough public transportation vehicles on Monday, May 8, despite the move of some traditional jeepney drivers and operators to go on strike.
Major transport organizations such as the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association (Febacda) and Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators (SSTONE) are not joining the transport strike, and modernized public transportation buses will also continue to operate.
"While we respect the rights of some of our drivers and operators in holding the transport strike, the most important is the riding public, and we won't allow traffic to be disrupted today," Espino said.
He explained that the subject of the transport strike of some traditional jeepney drivers is related to the jeepney modernization program of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Department of Transportation.
The point is that they want the Sangguniang Panlungsod to repeal City Ordinance 966 and suspend the local route plan.
"It's their right, their leadership, it's their right; however, my stand is not at the expense of the riding public. We will have sufficient public transportation today," Espino emphasized.
“What is there to review? Because this is a national government agency's program,” Espino added.
He said that Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has already got the approval of the LTFRB for some routes that are not yet served by the modernized vehicles, there are interim transport services that are still served by the traditional jeepney, provided that they comply with all government regulations.
Bacolod City needs about 1,200 units of modernized vehicles, and there are only about 500 units that are operating right now, Espino explained.
All the 27 routes have takers already, but the delivery is not yet fully completed. That's why the traditional jeepneys continue to operate because of the effort of Benitez, which was approved by DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista for the interim transport service to cope with the shortfall. That's why traditional jeepneys were allowed to cater to the public.
Earlier, various operators of the modernized jeepneys in Bacolod City expressed a common stand to operate from March 6 to 12, the weeklong synchronized transport strike organized by the traditional jeepney operators in the country.
The operators said their group cannot defy the provision in their franchise, which was issued by the LTFRB, which states that the public utility vehicle operator shall not resort to the cessation of service as a sign of demonstration or protest against any government decision or action under pain of suspension or cancellation of the authority to operate granted by the Board; nor shall the PUV operator tolerate, allow, or authorize personnel to join others committing acts prejudicial to the riding public, including, but not limited to, paralyzing the transport services by intimidation, coercion, or violence.
All of the modernized jeepney operators will allow their drivers to ply during the weeklong transport strike.
They will continue to serve the commuting public because that is the mandate of their franchise, the group said.*