Several routes affected as 200 drivers rally today

CEBU, Philippines - At least 200 drivers in Cebu are expected to join a nationwide rally this morning to protest an order to phase out public vehicles that are at least 15 years old.

Several routes are expected to be affected, including those that traverse Barangays Talamban, Pardo, and Lahug in Cebu City, as well as in Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

The drivers will rally from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will return to work by 1 p.m.

Greg Perez, president of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) – Cebu said the drivers will assemble at M.J. Cuenco Avenue and will walk to the office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) – 7 at the North Reclamation Area.

The phase out order was issued by LTFRB and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

“Dili namo tuyo ang pagparalisa sa trapiko, gusto lang namong ipadayag among pagsupak sa gipatuman nga pagpa-phase out aning pampublikong sakyanan nga nagdagan na og kinse ka tuig. Dili gyod mi uyon ana,” Perez said.

He said some drivers and operators from the Alliance of Transport Organization Members Intra-Cebu and National Confederation of Transportworkers’ Union may also join the rally.

“Dili man mi supak nga manindot ang mass transport sa atong probinsya pero ang amoa lang, hangtod dili makapangita ang gobyirno og laing pangkinabuhian sa mga ma-dislokar nga mga draybers ug operators,” he said.

Perez said local government units will understand their decision, as they are just exercising their right to express their opinion and the right to be heard.

“Naa man gyod hinuon nga mga jeep nga karaan na kaayo ug ambot lang kung gi-unsa na nila pagkuha og permit nga makadagan paman sila. Ang amoa lang kanang maayo pa, pwede unta padaganon,” he said.

Rey Gealon, head of the Cebu City Traffic Office, said traffic personnel will be deployed to the areas expected to be affected by the rally.

“While we respect their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances, we cannot just sit and watch as commuters are stranded on their way to work or school tomorrow, which is why we have activated our protocol in a time like this,” he said.  Gealon said CCTO is confident that the flow of traffic will be manageable and those drivers who will not participate will not be “harassed.”

“The city-owned buses will be serviceable for free to stranded commuters and will be plying the routes of those that the strike may have impact upon. Not to underestimate their strength, but these strikes have not really caused paralysis in the city’s public transportation in the last years that they have been holding it. Maybe because most of the PUV drivers and operators understand the absolute necessity of an efficient, safe, clean, sustainable and comfortable mass public transport system, which these strikers, in whatever capacity, fail to deliver thus far,” he said. — /JMO (FREEMAN)