ILOILO City – The Metro Iloilo Transport Service Cooperative (MITSCOOP) has denied allegations of delayed salaries and unmet financial obligations following a strike by drivers and passenger assistance officers (PAOs) on July 1.
The protest, which disrupted operations of 76 buses servicing the vital Jaro Liko-Tagbak route, stemmed from complaints over late payments and unremitted benefits.
Chairperson Annabelle Fale insisted that salaries have been consistently released on time and that no delays have occurred since she assumed office in March.
“There is no delay in the salaries. In fact, we advance the salaries when payday falls on a Sunday. If it falls on a weekday, they receive it accordingly,” Fale said in an interview. “Since I assumed office on March 13, there have been no delays. They were paid at the end of March and on March 15. They resumed operations the next day.”
Fale also refuted claims that she had promised the release of payments under the government’s Service Contracting Program (SCP), explaining that MITSCOOP has only received funds for the first week of operations covered by the program.
“Until now, our service contracting payment has not been fully released. I don’t know how they could say I made a promise about it. How can I make a promise for something we haven’t even received yet?” she stressed. “The LTFRB knows that only week one has been released. Our service contracting covers May 10 to June 11.”
The SCP, spearheaded by the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), provides financial assistance to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators to ensure reliable public transportation.
LTFRB earlier attributed delays in the release of SCP funds to documentary deficiencies and financial discrepancies on the part of the cooperative. However, Fale said she has not been summoned by the LTFRB to explain the matter.
“Actually, LTFRB hasn’t called me about that. Only the Office of Transportation Commission (OTC) has visited us to follow up if LTFRB has reached out, but there was no summons,” Fale explained. “The issue has already been settled and our drivers returned to the roads the next day.”
Fale admitted the cooperative is juggling financial obligations but emphasized that employee salaries are being prioritized. “Some of our other payables have been deferred, but salaries have always been paid ahead,” she added.
MITSCOOP, with over 500 members, operates more than 200 buses in Iloilo. Fale said the cooperative is working to resolve its internal challenges and ensure transparent communication with stakeholders moving forward./PN
