A Drivers’ Holiday in Bacolod City is set to start Wednesday, June 15, because it is no longer viable for many to continue operating amid the rising prices of fuel, Diego Malacad, United Negros Drivers and Operators Center secretary-general, said on Tuesday.
About 1,800 jeepney drivers in Bacolod are joining the Driver’s Holiday starting 10 a.m. Wednesday until fuel prices drop to a profitable level for them, he said.
The drivers are joining a dialog with Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya to air their concerns at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Malacad added.
The Drivers’ Holiday is not expected to paralyze public transportation in Bacolod City as other groups are not joining it.
Albert Villanueva, Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (SSTONE) chairman, said his group and the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers are not joining the Drivers’ Holiday.
The drivers who are joining the “holiday” are opting to take on other jobs as construction workers, on farms, and as fishermen to be able to earn enough money for their families, Malacad said.
It is no longer viable for them to make a reasonable profit after they pay for fuel and the rent of the jeepneys they drive, he said.
Malacad said diesel prices in Bacolod now range from P85 to P91 a liter, while gasoline is at P81 a liter.*