The majority of the public utility jeepneys in Bacolod City will continue to operate on Monday, May 8, despite the announcement of three groups that they are staging a strike.
Elizabeth Katalbas of the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Associations and Eduardo “Junjun” Asis of Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (SSTONE) on Thursday, May 4, said their groups are not joining the strike on Monday.
Katalbas said they are not joining the strike because they have no problem. Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has helped them so that they can continue to operate, she said.
The modern jeepneys will also continue to ply the streets on Monday.
Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino, Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Transportation chairman, said he expects that the majority of the public utility jeepneys will continue to operate on Monday.
The Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers, Negros Bacolod Transport Coalition and the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center announced that they are staging a transportation strike on Monday to call for the abolition of City Ordinance 966 that adopts the Local Public Transport Route Plan.
The three groups said the route plan is the reason why they cannot renew their provisional authority with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to continue to operate traditional jeepneys.
The route plan is in compliance with the Jeepney Modernization Program of the LTFRB, Espino said.
The mayor has ensured that mitigating measures were taken to address the needs of the traditional jeepney operators, he said.
Under the jeepney modernization program Bacolod is required to allow 1,200 modern jeepneys to operate and today about 400 units are operating in the city, Espino said.
Benitez asked the Department of Transportation to allow the traditional jeepneys to continue to operate to fill in the shortfall in modern jeepneys by granting them temporary permits under an interim transport service program, Espino said.*