ILOILO City – Public and private school classes in all levels here are suspended on Sept. 30 due to the nationwide transport strike.
In ordering the suspension, Mayor Jerry Treñas said he wanted to minimize the inconvenience that the public, especially students, parents and guardians, school faculty and staff, would suffer.
The transport strike is a protest against the government’s plan to phase out old jeepneys by July 2020.
Fearing that the strike could paralyze the city, Treñas said he would have an inter-agency meeting with various government bodies today. Preparations will be discussed.
But while he ordered the suspension of Monday’s classes, Treñas made it clear in Executive Order No. 89 issued yesterday that it would be business as usual at city hall.
In previous transport strikes, the city government mobilized its various vehicles to transport city government workers.
It also tapped the help of the Philippine Army, Iloilo City Police Office, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Department of Public Works and Highways which all have transport assets such as trucks to ferry stranded people.
On Wednesday, transport groups – including taxis, vans and even tricycles – in the city and province of Iloilo announced they would be joining the nationwide transport strike.
The phase out of jeepneys 15 years old or older is part of the government’s transport modernization program which aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety.
However, according to the Alyansa Kontra PUV Phase Out-Panay, a new broad alliance of various transport associations, it would economically displace thousands of jeepney drivers, operators and their families.
The transport strike will start at 12:01 a.m. of Sept. 30 and would end at midnight, according to Edgar Salarda, president of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide – Panay which is a member of Alyansa Kontra PUV Phase Out-Panay.
He projected a “95 percent” participation in the strike, including some 5,000 tricycles of 22 associations.
There are over 6,000 passenger jeepneys in the city and province of Iloilo, he added.
The jeepney started as remodelled army vehicles left behind by US forces after World War II, and became a showcase of Filipino ingenuity and resourcefulness.
Mainly patronized by low- to middle-income passengers, it has become the core of Philippine public transport./PN
