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By: Mae Singuay
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Tuesday, June 6, 2017
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BACOLOD City – The planned two-day transport strike in the province ended peacefully yesterday afternoon following the declaration of the transport group to stop the protest.
United Drivers Operators Center (UNDOC) secretary general Diego Malacad said the group halted the strike after getting an assurance from Cong. Greg Gasataya that Negros Occidental will not be affected by House Bill 4334 or the proposed “Traffic Crisis Act of 2016.”
Malacad also disclosed that they will submit a position paper to Gasataya about their stand on the proposed phase-out of jeepneys 15 years old and older.
For his part, Gasataya told the transport group that he is willing to accept the position paper and pass it to Congress.
Malacad, together with UNDOC’s drivers and operators, met with Gasataya in his Congressional Office in Barangay Villamonte here.
PEACEFUL PROTEST
The transport strike yesterday has been considered peaceful and did not paralyze the transportation operation of cities and municipalities, according to the local government unit (LGU) of Bacolod.
The LGU, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Education also believed that the strike had no effect on the opening of classes.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) acting director Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky said the rally was not well-attended and had little effect as far as transport operation is concerned.
The protesters were able to air their grievances and dispersed peacefully after, he added.
Wanky furthermore said the police can now give their full attention to Oplan Balik Eskwela which is a campaign to ensure the safety and security of students and teachers.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr., acting director of Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office, said there are no reports of untoward incidents related to the opening of classes and transport strike.
Federico Guanzon Jr., head of the City’s Command Center, said the center lowered down the alert status after Malacad declared that they will stop the strike.
Based on the overall assessment of the Command Center, the opening of classes timed with the transport strike was generally peaceful.
In the morning, however, Guanzon said they received complaints that there was a small group of rallyists in Barangay Mandalagan that blocked the way and collected money, but it was managed well by the responding team.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia also temporarily stopped the operations of the Command Center at the Bacolod City Government Center after Undoc lifted their transport strike.
“I hereby ordered to temporarily stop the operations of the Command Center by 3:30 p.m. since the situation is back to normal early in the afternoon,” the mayor said in a statement.
Leonardia, in a press release, said he will issue an executive order creating a body that will be comprised by the same team of the Command Center to respond to future transport strikes. (City PIO/PN)
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