Several commuters in Bacolod City were stranded on Wednesday, August 14, after at least 600 drivers of traditional public utility vehicles (PUV) started their two-day nationwide protest in various areas in the city questioning the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for rejecting to suspend the public transport modernization program (PTMP).
Eric Bendoy, secretary-general of United Negros Drivers and Operator Center-Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Undoc-Piston), said they started their protest at about 7 a.m. from their four rally centers at Burgos-Lopez Jaena, Northbound, Libertad and Magsaysay streets.
He said the rally was participated by members of Undoc-Piston, Kabacod Negros Transport Organization (Knetco), and Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (Bacod) Manibela.
“Several passengers were stranded in the four rally centers and we will continue our rally until Thursday, August 15,” he added.
Bendoy noted that the national transport groups will end their rally on Friday, August 16, but here in Bacolod, they will hold it until Thursday only.
“This is our call to restore our five-year franchises for all PUVs since 22 of our Senators already signed a resolution for the suspension of the implementation of the PTMP,” Bendoy said.
However, he said President Marcos earlier rejected the call of the Senators to temporarily suspend the implementation of the PTMP.
“We are hopeful that President Marcos will change his decision and will consider the call of the 12 Senators,” he said.
The 12 Senators already sympathized with the traditional jeepney drivers so why the President rejected the resolution? Bendoy asked.
Bendoy said the President should also check the report of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to determine the situation of the drivers.
“The government claimed that 80 percent of the franchises of jeepney drivers have been consolidated so why they fail to accommodate our commuters? Without the traditional jeepneys, it will affect the daily activities of the commuters,” Bendoy said.
He said the modernization vehicles are not enough to accommodate the passengers in various areas in the city.
“Without the traditional jeepneys, our commuters will also suffer,” he added.
After their rally, the PUJ drivers held its caravan towards the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) to air their sentiments to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
Bendoy said they will stay at BCGC until Thursday, August 15, and they will resume their operation on Friday.
“We will be camping out outside the BCGC until today, Thursday. We are hopeful that the mayor will hold a dialogue with our leaders and will help us to the national office to consider our situation,” he said.
Moreover, Mae Cuaycong, the focal person of the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), said the city government provided vehicles to transport the stranded vehicles in various areas in the city.
She said as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, around 30 passengers were seen standing along the flyover in Barangay Bata, adding that the city temporarily used the four MABB Cab (Mayor Albee Bantug Benitez Cab) vehicles, which included vans and buses, to accommodate the stranded passengers.
She added that the government vehicles are also on high alert to augment the MABB Cab if needed.
Cuaycong noted that the city’s MABB Cab will traverse from Bata to Libertad routes, Barangay Sum-ag to the downtown area, Barangay Granada to Burgos, and Barangay Handumanan to Libertad.
Cuaycong said they also put up a commander center to answer the immediate needs of the riding public.
She said they will check the number of the modernized vehicles operating in various areas including the traditional jeepney that refused to join the rally.
Aside from the city, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) were also tasked to monitor the rally centers to avoid any untoward incidents./MAP