A TRANSPORT group in Cebu is planning to join the nationwide strike on Monday to oppose the government’s plan to phase out passenger jeepneys 15 years old and above.
Romeo Armamento, vice president of National Confederation of Transport Workers Union (NCTU) in Cebu, said their final decision will be known after a meeting with other transport groups on Saturday.
“Duna gyuy nationwide strike pero dinhi sa Cebu, magpaabot pa mi sa unsay masabutan sa meeting. (The nationwide strike is certain, but insofar as our group in Cebu is concerned, we still have to wait for the outcome of the meeting),” he told Cebu Daily News over the phone.
NCTU, he said, has about 80 percent of the transport jeepneys in Cebu.
Transport groups protest the government’s plan to phase out passenger jeepneys 15 years old and above in order to modernize transport vehicles and make these environment-friendly.
They said only big companies can afford the replacement of old jeepneys.
Instead of phasing out old jeepneys, they suggest an “upgrade” of the vehicles and strictly enforcing road-worthiness rules.
Armamento said a transport strike might help voice out their disgust over the government’s plan that affects old jeepneys.
“Kon makatabang ni aron paminawon mi sa gobyerno, amo na buhaton. (If holding a transport strike would help us so that the government will listen to our predicaments, we will do it),” he said.
“Kon maminaw sila, dili lang kinahanglan moabot ta anang strike. (If the government will listen to us, then we will not resort to holding a strike),” he added.
So far, however, nothing is final yet.
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