ILOILO City – The city government may run after a group of jeepney drivers and operators that threatened to stage a transport strike if their demands are not met. They could lose their franchises, said Mayor Jose Espinosa III.
If the city government won’t act on its concerns, the City Loop Integrated Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (CLIAJODA) said it may hold at transport holiday.
CLIAJODA secretary general Rizal Alido said they may also file administrative charges against Espinosa and Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The group gave the city government a week beginning Aug. 21 to address the following demands relative to the implementation of the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO):
* prohibit provincial jeepneys from picking up passengers along the route of city loop jeepneys
* stop the trans-loading or transfer of passengers at transport terminals from one provincial jeepney to another provincial jeepney that would enter the city
* stop the “hulamanay system” of car passes
Under the PBO, only provincial jeepneys with car passes from the city government may enter the city. This scheme aims to ease traffic congestion on the city’s streets.
CLIAJODA also wanted the city government to seriously enforce the anti-barker ordinance.
Espinosa belittled CLIAJODA’s threat of a transport strike. He said the city government may take legal action against those inconveniencing the public.
“We may file appropriate charges. We may also seek the cancellation of their franchises,” said Espinosa.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has a “no strike policy” embedded in Memorandum Circular No. 2011- 004 (Revised Terms and Conditions of Certificate of Public Convenience and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof).
No. 3 item of the memo read: “The PUV operator shall not resort to cessation of service as a sign or demonstration of 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 other committing acts prejudicial to the riding public including, but not limited to paralyzing transport services by intimidation, coercion or violence.”
The memo also listed the penalties for the violation:
* first offense – fine of P2,000
* second offense – fine of P3,000 with suspension of Certificate of Public Convenience (franchise) for 60 days
* third offense – fine of P5,000 and cancellation of franchise
Meanwhile, the transport group Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJOA) is not keen on joining the transport strike.
Its president Raymundo Parcon said there was no ground to stage one, and their group was not consulted.
PSTMO chief Conlu dismissed CLIAJODA’s insinuation that his office was not enforcing the PBO, the anti-barker ordinance and other traffic rules and regulations./PN
