Transport groups urged to send only representative to public hearing

CEBU, Philippines- Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is asking the transport groups in Cebu to send only a representative to attend the public hearing tomorrow on the controversial policy of the Department of Transportation and Communication, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Land Transportation Office imposing stiffer penalties on traffic violations.

Rama said members of the transport organizations should continue to ply their routes so as not to cripple the public transport.

“If it affects economically and the medium is not correct, it will always be considered economic sabotage,” Rama said.

“If it is economic sabotage, there will always be some parameters that will be faced by whoever are the leaders because it may be true nga naay ginganlan nga maximum tolerance, but there is always such thing as limit of tolerance,” he added.

Rama said that if all of the 500 members of PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide) Cebu would participate in the public hearing called by the City Council, it would tantamount to having a transport strike.

The mayor said there will be 28 city buses and 20 barangay buses available for the commuters in case there is transport strike.

“And whoever have sakyanan, let’s not be paralyzed by such a move. Otherwise, we can easily be under threat of economic sabotage if ever there are movements,” he said.

Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive director Rafael Yap echoed Rama’s request.

“Then we will provide the necessary transport using our own Kaohsiung buses that’s never been an issue kon mag-strike sila, naa naman ta’y protocol ana nga automatic deploy Kaohsiung buses, cancel all reservations sa Kaohsiung buses and bring them to where commuters need them,” Yap said.

Greg Perez, PISTON Cebu coordinator, said most of their members will be attending the public hearing and warned of the effect to the public transport on Wednesday.

“Wala mi naghisgot og strike, ang amo lang pahibalo mi daan nga manambong ang membryo namo, mga driver sa PUJ, naa gyud na gamay na pagkunhod sa mga pampubliko nga sakyanan sa kana nga adlaw, mao gi-ready namo daan ang sumasakay,” Perez said.

Meanwhile, Rama has urged all the transport organizations to group together and hire a lawyer to defend their case against the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 or the Revised Schedule of Fines and Penalties for Violations of Laws, Rules and Regulations Governing Land Transportation.  —/FPL) (FREEMAN)