Transport Strike Threatens Cebu Next Week

The Cebu City Government will deploy all its transport vehicles while the barangay officials are also requested to do the same to help passengers that will be stranded should the transport sector pushes through with their threat to stage a transport strike next week.

Mayor Michael Rama, who is leaving for United States on July 16, has directed City Councilor Dave Tumulak to be on top of the situation and meet with the concerned City Hall department heads to respond to the problem.

Tumulak said the plan is that the city would deploy all of its Kaohsiung buses and other city-owned vehicles and the barangays would also be asked to do the same once they observe that only few vehicles are plying their respective route.

Romeo Armamento, head of the association of public utility drivers and operators in Mandaue City, revealed the planned strike in an interview over the weekend.

Jonathan Tumulak, City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) operations chief, said he was glad Armamento coordinated with them about their protest action next week so the city could prepare.

“We are ready na. We’re glad nga ilang gipahibalo namo daan ug sa public nga mag-strike sila aron menos ang ma-stranded. Mogamit ta sa mga Kaohsiung buses unya mo-tap sab ta sa ubang local government units aron sila motabang paghakot sa taga-ila nga moanhi sa siyudad,” the CITOM official said.

He said CITOM would not apprehend public utility jeepneys that would ply streets outside their prescribed routes during that day. However, Tumulak said they should inform CITOM and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

When drivers and operators launched a transport strike last June 19, Rama ordered the suspension of classes in elementary and high school levels so students would not have a hard time going home in the afternoon.

Another transport strike is set on July 21 in protest against the implementation of Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, which increased the amount of fines against erring drivers, members from the transport sector said.

Rama said he went to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) office last Friday to bring the sentiments of the drivers and operators.

Although he failed to meet the official he would liked to meet, he promised to bring the voice of Cebu’s transport operators and drivers to DOTC.

“Basta dili ko mohunong pagtabang nga madala sa DOTC ang tingog sa mga drayber,” said Rama.

He had said that widening existing roads is the answer to traffic problems, not an increase in fines imposed on violators of traffic laws.