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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday, October 16, 2017
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ILOILO City – Transport groups in Western Visayas are not joining the two-day nationwide transport strike which starts today against the phase out of old jeepneys.
Classes in public and private schools across the region, however, are suspended today as ordered by Malacañang to save students and teachers nationwide from transport inconvenience.
Work in government offices in Region 6 and in the rest of the country are suspended, too.
The Supreme Court also announced the suspension of work in all courts nationwide.
“The CJ (Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno) has suspended work in all courts nationwide tomorrow, Oct. 16, due to the scheduled nationwide transport strike,” the SC Public Information Office posted on its Twitter account yesterday.
Instead of staying off the streets, transport groups under the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) in Panay Island are holding a protest caravan, said Edgar Salarda, leader of the alliance.
“We sympathize with colleagues in other parts of the country. The caravan is our way of joining the nationwide strike,” he stressed.
Early this year ahead of their counterparts in other regions, Western Visayas transport groups staged two strikes – in Feb. 27 and June 5 and 6 – against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program which they claim is a jeepney phase out plan.
Salarda said various transport groups in the region were consulted about staging another strike but many agreed not to join today and tomorrow’s nationwide protests.
For one, Bacolod City is celebrating its MassKara Festival and some drivers in Panay Island are joining the Visayas-wide “Lakbayan” protest in Cebu, explained Salarda.
The phase out of jeepneys 15 years old and older begins January next year.
Malacañang announced the nationwide suspension of classes and work in government offices around noon yesterday.
“Classes in all levels, both public and private schools, and government work, including those in the local government units and government-owned or -controlled corporations, will be suspended nationwide tomorrow, Oct. 16, 2017, to minimize public inconvenience arising from the planned nationwide transportation strike,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
Work in the private sector is, however, not covered by the Palace order.
Today’s protest caravan starts at 8 a.m. at the Mohon transport terminal in Arevalo district. It would proceed to the transport terminal in Molo district then to a similar facility in Jibao-an, Mandurriao district.
From Jibao-an, the caravan would proceed to the transport terminals in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district and Barangay Ungka in Pavia, Iloilo then to the terminal in Barangay Tagbak, Jaro.
The last stop of the protest caravan is the Land Transportation Office in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro.
At least 20 jeepneys will join the caravan, said Salarda.
“Nagapanawagan man kita sa iban nga sektor nga willing mag-join, they are welcome,” said Salarda.
By PISTON-Panay’s estimate, over 24,000 jeepney drivers and operators in Western Visayas would be affected by the phase out plan.
It also warned that workers in shops giving services to jeepneys would eventually close down and would add their numbers to the growing population of unemployed citizens.
Once the phase out is implemented, a new corporation shall emerge, the fleet management system, said Salarda.
“Lucky drivers will be employed as contractuals and will receive a daily P500 wage if and only if they reach the quota of P3,500. But given our P6.50 jeepney fare and in order to reach the quota, the fleet management will surely increase the fare of the riding public,” said Salarda./PN
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