Manila schools set online classes for transport strike

MANILA, Philippines — Some colleges and universities in Manila have announced that they would hold online classes during the three-day transport strike next week.

De La Salle University, National Teachers College, Arellano University, St. Scholastica’s College, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila would shift to online classes from Nov. 20 to 22, according to their respective administrations.

Classes in the University of the East’s Manila campus would be online on Nov. 20 and 21.

The Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, Mapua University and Universidad de Manila would hold online classes on Nov. 20. FEU and UST said they would announce if they would continue online classes for the two other days covered by the strike.

Meanwhile, officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) met with traffic management officials from the 17 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila and discussed measures to curb the effects of the transport strike, which include the lack of public transportation and possible traffic jams due to protests.

The MMDA would monitor the vehicular traffic situation using its Communications Command Center in Pasig City, while some LGUs plan to deploy vehicles to transport stranded commuters for free, according to the agency.

Progressive transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide or Piston announced it would hold the transport strike for three days to reject the government’s program to modernize public transport, with an estimated 100,000 transport workers said to be joining.