Jeepney Strike Fails to Paralyze Public Transport in Metro Cebu

A transport strike staged by drivers and operators on Monday to protest the planned phase-out of 15-year-old passenger jeepneys failed to paralyze public transportation in Metro Cebu, an official has said.

The city governments of Mandaue and Cebu quickly deployed buses to ferry passengers stranded by the strike that was staged by the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) Cebu chapter.

Piston, which claimed to have 700 members in Cebu, including some 200 tricycle drivers in Mandaue City, said their members crippled public transportation in Mandaue by 60 percent and in Cebu City by 30 percent.

Abet Yniza of Piston-Mandaue chapter said tricycle drivers plying routes in Barangays Umapad, Alang-Alang, Paknaan and Labogon joined the strike.

Felix Suico of the Mandaue city government’s command center however said only 30 percent of the city’s public transportation joined the strike.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak also said the strike failed to cripple the city’s public transport system.

Heavy traffic was instead reported on Gen. Maxilom Ave. and other main thoroughfares in Cebu City.

Suico said the Mandaue City government authorized the deployment of three Ceres buses to ferry stranded passengers.

Tumulak said the Cebu City government deployed six city-owned buses for stranded passengers.

Earlier, the city governments of Mandaue and Talisay ordered the suspension of classes in anticipation of the transport strike.

There was no official declaration of suspension of classes in Cebu City, but some schools and universities suspended classes on their own. (PNA) CVL/EB/EBP