A strike on Wednesday, April 15, failed to fully paralyze public transportation in Bacolod City but organizers said they successfully aired their demands for government action versus rising fuel prices.
The transport groups who staged the strike, along with some members of the clergy and sectoral groups, called for the abolition of Value Added Tax (VAT), excise taxes on petroleum and the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law, Rodolfo Gardoce, United Negros Drivers and Operators Center-PISTON (UNDOC-PISTON) chairperson, said.
Passengers in some areas faced long waits early Wednesday morning due to a lack of traditional jeepneys.
The strike started at 6 a.m. but modern jeepneys, some taxis, and tricycles continued to ply the streets, and by midmorning some of the strikers resumed operations
Rudy Catedral, Bacolod Alliance for Commuters Operators and Drivers (BACOD) Manibela head, said his group joined the strike from 6 to 930 a.m. only.
He said they decided to end early because of lack of unity and to aid the riding public.
Ronald Salgado, Samahan ng mga Taxi Drivers sa Bacolod that has more than 500 members, said they ended their strike at 10 a.m. because the drivers needed to earn money to pay for their taxi rental fees.
UNDOC-PISTON and Kabacod Negros Transport Organization (KNETCO) members continued their protest until mid-afternoon, with rally centers set up at the Bata and Magsaysay flyovers in Bacolod, Noli Rosales, Bayan Negros secretary general said.
The transportation strike was 85 percent successful in Bacolod and 100 percent in Talisay and Silay cities, he said.
Gardoce said they ended their strike at 3 p.m. and some of the traditional jeepney drivers resumed operations for the rest of day.*
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