BACOLOD City – Classes in all levels in private and public schools in this city are suspended on Monday due to the national transport strike.
Yesterday, Acting Mayor El Cid Familiaran issued Executive Order No. 28 declaring the suspension of classes.
The transport strike from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. is a protest against the phase out of old jeepneys in line with the government’s transport modernization program.
Local transport groups joining the strike are the United Negros Drivers Operators Center, Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros and Federation Bacolod City Drivers Association.
They projected a “70 percent to 99 percent” paralysis of the transport sector.
According to Familiaran, the Department of Education and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office recommended the suspension of classes for the safety of students.
He, however, said work at city hall will continue.
Two buses and three IPM dump trucks will be transporting city hall employees, said Familiaran.
The two buses will be stationed near the barangay halls of Sum-ag and Bata, while the IPM dump trucks will be in barangays Granada ,Mansilingan and Handumanan.
Meanwhile, Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of Ceres buses, will not be joining in the nationwide strike.
The government’s move to modernize Philippine public transport aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety.
Modern jeepneys are required to have, among others, Euro 4 engines that meet the European Union emission standards on harmful chemicals (such as toxic sulfur, benzene and carbon dioxide, etc.), Global Positioning System, automatic fare collection system, dashboard camera, speed limiter, and closed-circuit television camera./PN
