By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
ROXAS City — Not all public utility vehicles in Capiz were on “transport holiday” yesterday.
Leading the strike was the transport group Hukbong Transport sa Capiz. Its president, Jobert Carandang, said over a radio interview yesterday that jeepneys and L300 vans and 90 percent of city-based tricycles supported the move.
But this did not fully paralyze public transportation, especially in this city.
Many tricycles were seen plying various parts of the metro and the Roxas City Integrated Transport Terminal at Pueblo de Panay, Brgy. Lawa-an.
The transport holiday was staged to protest the changes made in fines and penalties for violators of land transportation rules and regulations, put into effect by Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communications, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Land Transportation Office.
A tricycle driver, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he did not join the strike because there was no tricycle operators and drivers association joining.
Some tricycle passengers experienced overcharging. One of them was 31-year old mother Veronica Makaya.
She and her child boarded a tricycle from Injap Supermart branch near Teodoro Arcenas Trade Center to the integrated terminal, which are about two kilometers apart. Makaya said she was charged P30. She said she was unaware of the transport holiday.
Buses were present at the integrated terminal. Some jeepneys were available, too, including one based in Ivisan, a passenger told Panay News.
Employees of bus companies said they did not join the strike because they did not receive any memo from their bosses.
A transport holiday is “useless” if not all public utility vehicles will participate; commuters can get other means of transportation, a security guard based here said.
Mayor Angel Alan Celino suspended classes in all levels here yesterday. The city government provided five coaster buses for commuters.
Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. said provincial government dump trucks and buses were on standby in front of the capitol to aid commuters.
He also left it to school and office heads to decide whether or not to suspend their classes or work. (With reports from Philippine Information Agency, Bombo Radyo and RMN/PN)
