‘Controversial’ order remains after 4th rally

CEBU, Philippines - Just like the previous action, yesterday’s rally by members of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) to protest an “unjust” order did not achieve the desired results.

For one, even after a dialogue with the drivers, the Land Transportation Office-7 is standing by the enforcement of the order with Regional Director Arnel Tancinco saying he isn’t in the position to stop its implementation.

The most he could do at his level, he said, is “calibrated enforcement,” which means violators will be apprehended based on complaints on a specific route.

“Wa na sa akong power ang paghunong sa pag-implementar sa JAO. Ang akoa- ra gyud mahimo nga ipadangat nako sa Manila ang ilang mga yangongo,” Tancinco said.

Since its implementation last July 9, drivers and operators have opposed the joint order of the LTO, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory and Department of Transportation and Communication for being unjust.

The order imposes higher penalties for road violations purposely “to instill discipline especially among drivers of public utility vehicles, prevent road accidents, ease the perennial traffic jams, clamp down on unregistered or “colorum” vehicles, among others.”

Unlike PISTON, however, other transport groups have chosen to wait for the results of the review on the order.

Yesterday’s rally, the fourth in five months, even drew the ire of some jeepney drivers who accused some rallyists of harassment.

“Nanawag ko og pulis ganihang buntag para magbantay sa may Pocherohan ug Emcor in Mandaue area kay gipang gulat man ang mga drivers sa Lapu-Lapu inug agi ani nga area. Hasta ang Banilad ug Talamban nga ruta, nakadawat ko og mga tawag sa akong mga miyembro nga gipang gulat sila,” said Romeo Armamento, national vice president of the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union.

He said they are not supporting PISTON’s stand to scrap the order because there are provisions there that also benefit operators and commuters.

“Mouyon diay ning PISTON nga naay daghan colorum nga mga sakyanan ug naay mga drivers nga adik-adik?. Naa man ni sa JAO nga provisions. Unya gusto nila wagtangon gyud ang JAO?” Armamento contended.

NCTU and CITRASCO, which have a combined membership of 4,000 in Cebu, are only lobbying for amendments.

The members of PISTON started marching at around 9 a.m. from Barangay Maguikay in Mandaue City to the offices of the LTO and CITOM in Cebu City.

Tumulak said the strike ended at past 1 p.m., way earlier than the original 5 p.m. plan.

The movement was held simultaneously with rallies in Metro Manila, Bacolod, Northern Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, General Santos and Davao City.

Situations

In Cebu City, Traffic Operations Management Operations chief Joy Tumulak said flow of vehicle traffic remained “normal” despite roughly 100 jeepney drivers not plying their routes. It also paid that schools are on semestral break, he said.

He said a few passengers were stranded in Barangay Talamban at the boundary of Canduman in Mandaue City at around 11 a.m. but were “rescued” immediately by the buses deployed by the city government.

Councilor David Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said seven out of 28 Kaoshiung buses were deployed to Barangays Bulacao, Guadalupe, Labangon, and Talamban, as well as the SM City and Ayala Center areas.

In Mandaue City, Felix Suico of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office reported that the rally affected but 10 percent of the public transport in the city.

Like in Cebu City, the city government in Mandaue also deployed buses and two L300 vehicles to ferry passengers to common drop-off points.

He said many of those who were stranded were oblivious to the rally. Some of them reportedly were forced to hire the services of “habal-habal” drivers who reportedly charged P100 for a trip to Cebu City.

In Lapu-Lapu City, officials said the rally affected an estimated 30 percent of the transportation. Long lines were observed at the PUJ terminals in Barangay Pajo in front of General Milling Corporation, Inc.

The city government deployed 12 city-owned vehicles and three Ceres buses from LTFRB. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Flor Z. Perolina, Kristine B. Quintas, Bryner L. Diaz and Christell Fatima M. Tudtud/JMO (FREEMAN)