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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Many commuters from several areas in the metro had to wait longer than usual before finding a ride home early Friday evening.
Heavy rains intermittently poured starting late morning until last night due to tropical storm “Marce” and caused floods around the city, forcing several public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers to head home.
And the lack of PUJs stranded many commuters, most of whom have just come out of offices and establishments around 6 p.m. when the rains were no longer heavy, in many loading/unloading areas for hours.
Most Leganes and Balabago jeepneys were full, a commuter said.
“Nagbantay ko kagina sa Jaro plaza sang Leganes nga jeep kay mapuli ko (sa boardinghouse) galing buta na,” said “Yellow.” She refused to disclose her full name.
After almost an hour of waiting, she decided to stay the night at her friend’s house in Barangay Cubay, Jaro district.
“Diri naman ko nagbantay sang (Balabago) jeep, pero buta man,” she told Panay News.
A fuming personnel of the city slaughterhouse in Barangay Tacas, Jaro district was a different case: she was headed for work.
“Mommy” had been waiting for a Jaro Liko-Tagbak PUJ. “Mga tunga na sa oras hulat ko, wala pa gihapon,” she told Panay News. “Mabudlay salakyan!” She refused to give this reporter her full name.
She was supposed to time in at 8 p.m., but it was already 7:55 p.m. and she was still waiting for a jeepney ride at the Jaro plaza. “Late na ako gani ho. Maakigan (gid) ko (ni),” she told this reporter.
Floods forced some PUJ drivers to halt their trips, according to Raymundo “Boyet” Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA).
“Nag-untat sila byahe kay man dalom ang tubig sa ciudad,” Parcon told Panay News in a phone interview. “Once maglapaw ang tubig sa royda sang salakyan, ma-problema gid na ang break, amo anay nga nag-untat sila.”
Heavily flooded areas included Mabini Street, Rizal Street, Iloilo Terminal Market, and several Jaro district roads, Parcon said.
“Grabe ang tubog sang salakyan,” he said, adding that the bad weather made some jeepney drivers worry about their families.
The state weather bureau Pagasa placed Iloilo under storm signal No. 2 early on Friday but lifted it around 5 p.m. Rains persisted, though.
Around 7 p.m. Parcon called on ICLAJODA jeepney drivers to get back on the road and pick up passengers. “Nag-advise ako nga mabyahe sila para wala na ma-stranded nga pasahero,” he said.
Meanwhile a married couple heading home to Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao did not know where to wait for a vacant jeepney.
“Halin kami kagina sa Robinsons (Place mall). Nagbantay kami to sang Mandurriao nga jeep, galing buta man,” said “Maymay.” She refused to give her real name.
After around 10 minutes of waiting outside the mall, they decided to walk to Iznart Street.
“Mga 15 minutes na kami nga nagahulat di, wala man gihapon,” “JR,” Maymay’s husband, told Panay News./PN
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