Transport groups called off their two-day transportation strike Monday afternoon, March 21, after their grievances were raised before the House Committee on Transportation, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board agreed to hold a dialog with them on Tuesday, House Minority Floor Leader Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) said.
Leaders of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC), Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (SStone) and the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Associations (FEBACDA) agreed to call off the strike after Paduano, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and mayoral candidate Albee Benitez arranged for the LTFRB meeting, Albert Villanueva, SStone chairman, said.
The strike that began 3 a.m. Monday was called off at about 4 p.m. after Paduano and Gasataya also informed them of the results of a congressional meeting on their demands for fuel subsidies and assistance to transport groups, Villanueva said.
Their short-lived strike was a success because their demand for drivers’ subsidies was swiftly acted on, and a dialog with the LTFRB was arranged, Villanueva said.
Elizabeth Katalbas of FEBACDA president, and Eduardo “Junjun” Asis, SStone trustee, said they agreed to call off the strike and were resuming operations Monday afternoon.
“When we leave this meeting we will declare to the drivers that they can resume operations,” Asis said Monday afternoon.
Katalbas, who was at the meeting, also said they were resuming operations since LTFRB 6 Regional Director Richard Osmeña is meeting them on Tuesday.
Diego Malacad, UNDOC secretary general, said they also agreed to call off the strike and removed their rally centers late Monday. They will resume operations Tuesday, he said.
Gasataya and Paduano said they raised the call of the local transport groups for the release of fuel subsidies to the drivers and for the provision of assistance to transport groups at the House Committee on Transportation meeting on Monday.
Benitez and Paduano conducted a consultative meeting with local transport groups representing 7,000 drivers on Sunday to ensure that all their concerns, especially on rightful driver beneficiaries receiving assistance, could be raised at the national level, Gasataya said.*