ILOILO – The public transport sector in this province and Iloilo City are divided on the nationwide transport strike scheduled today.
Commuters won’t feel the strike, vowed the “No to Transport Strike Coalition”. Enough traditional and modern jeepneys will be plying the streets, it said.
Last week, the “No to PUV Phaseout Coalition-Panay” announced they would join the nationwide transport strike coinciding with the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to dramatize their opposition to the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).
“May ara kita sang biyahe. Tanan nga modernized jeepney units and traditional jeepneys nga nakasulod sa cooperatives ang mabiyahe,” said Edgar Salarda, president of the Alliance for Peace Sustainable Development Transport Cooperative and one of the lead convenors of the “No to Transport Strike Coalition.”
In an interview with Panay News yesterday, Salarda said there would be enough jeepneys serving the “first towns” routes (Oton, Leganes, Pavia, and San Miguel).
Modernized jeepneys under the Western Visayas Federation of Transport Cooperative and Corporation (WVFTCC), chaired by Rizal Alido, will continue servicing people from Leon and San Miguel, and those from Santa Barbara, Pavia and Cabatuan going to Iloilo City.
“Wala gid sang problema ang mga pasahero despite sa ginahambal nila (referring to ‘No to PUV Phaseout Coalition-Panay’) nga kuno ang first towns ma-paralyze ang biyahe. Daku gani nga question mark na kon paano nila ma-paralyze kay may mga units man nga modernized under kay Mr. Alido,” Salarda said.
He said the “No to Transport Strike Coalition,” an alliance of different transport cooperatives, corporations, associations, operators and drivers in Western Visayas, sees the cause being pushed by the “No to PUV Phaseout Coalition-Panay” as futile since the coalition itself saw the benefits of the PUVMP.
Alido, for his part, said it would be advantageous for transport cooperatives if individual traditional jeepneys join the strike; this would mean less competition for modernized jeepneys.
“Indi lang three days gani, daad forever na ang strike nila,” Alido told Panay News.
He said transport cooperatives here denounce the nationwide transport strike led by The Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon, or Manibela. Such is counterproductive, he stressed.
For the part of the “No to PUV Phaseout Coalition-Panay,” they believed the PUVMP will rob the livelihood of poor traditional jeepney operators and drivers.
The coalition is made up of individual operators, drivers, and associations of traditional jeepneys that were unable to join cooperatives to loan modernized jeepneys.
They are calling on the national government, particularly the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, for the following:
* suspend the implementation of the PUVMP while reviewing the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines
* restore the five-year validity of the franchise
* review Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) first; restore old PUV routes in the meantime
* restore the sale-and-transfer of franchises to operators
* provide support and assistance to drivers and operators
* maintain affordable and sustainable jeep manufacturing methods
Elmer Forro, one of the lead convenors of the “No to PUV Phaseout Coalition-Panay” and secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) – Panay, earlier said “60 percent” of traditional jeepneys in the city and province of Iloilo have committed to join the transport strike.
He added the number is expected to increase; the coalition is coordinating with those from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Guimaras.
As for Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, Forro said they could conduct a transport strike as well since many traditional jeepneys in the area have not joined transport cooperatives./PN
