Drivers to march to LTO today, but assure no strike

CEBU, Philippines - To pressure the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to strip its agents of the power to issue Temporary Operators Permit (TOP), leaders and members of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (NADSU) are staging a march today.

The march will start from the Fuente Osmeña and the participants will head to the regional office of the LTO along N. Bacalso Ave. The activity starts at 9 a.m.

The drivers’ group is staging this rally in support of their national organization, which is staging a strike in Manila. There is an assurance that there won’t be any strike in Cebu.

NADSU chairman Ruben Rama said that their rally will be done in line of the activity of their head organization in Manila, the Pinagkakaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide.

However, Rama said that they assure that this is not a transport strike but plainly a rally and they just wish to hand in their position paper to LTO-7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos.

Last March 16, the group together with other transport organizations announced a rally and not a strike, but the public was caught off-guard as numerous drivers participated and caused passengers to be stranded in different places in the Cebu and the neighboring cities and towns.

Rama said that they only wish to give their paper to Aguilos and ask for an assurance that he will be acting on it.

Rama explained that they are against all deputized agents issuing TOPs, because only those that have passed and are accredited by the National Police Commission should be allowed to carry a TOP and not just anyone that is deputized by LTO.

“Maski kinsa naman lang ang mu-issue ug TOP, maski civilian mahibong lang mi na maka-issue diay,” he added.

According to Rama, based on Republic Act 4136 on the Joint Memorandum Circular of the LTC, the NPC, and the PC, Section one which is on the eligibility and qualification requirements for designation as LTC Deputy/ Agent says that only police that are assigned as traffic enforcers are allowed to bring a TOP. The LTC or Land Transportation Commission is the predecessor of the LTO.

  Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that have knowledge on traffic rules are also allowed to issue one.

  However, Rama stressed that deputized agents of the office are not all knowledgeable of the traffic rules, but still issue a TOP and don’t even know how to do so, he alleged. 

Included in their position paper is the question of the basis of the LTO of allowing local traffic enforcers from LGUs to be agents and who is responsible for the disregard of the joint memorandum agreement.

Rama said that this has been an overdue issue which, he said, Aguilos promised he would take immediate action on, but still they have not seen any change.

He said if Aguilos would be present tomorrow, they would like to speak with him as long as he has answers.

Greg Perez, council member of NADSU-PISTON added that if there would still be no answer after this, then they will discuss plans to initiate a transport strike this month. — AJ de la Torre, Johanna T. Natavio /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)