A local transport group said it will join today’s nationwide transport strike to denounce a proposed fare hike, higher penalties for colorum vehicles and the looming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Cebu City.
The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston-Cebu) which claims a membership of 500 said they will march from Fuente Osmeña to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM).
Greg Perez, Piston-Cebu coordinator, said they are protesting the Department of Transportation and Communications’ Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 which imposes higher fines on colorum vehicle operators and public utility vehicle (PUV) violations.
Under the JAO that takes effect today, colorum bus operators will be fined P1 million; truck and van operators, P200,000; sedan operators, P120,000; jeepney owners, P50,000; and motorcycle operators, P6,000.
The JAO also covers offenses like refusal to convey passengers to their destination; overcharging; employing discourteous or arrogant drivers; operating PUVs with defective parts; using tampered taximeters; and trip-cutting.
“This is not discipline but this is a way of money-making. This is not justifiable and there was no clear consultation for the drivers and operators,” Perez added.
He said they are also worried about the BRT which may affect their livelihood.
“We are protecting our jobs and the street vendors who will be affected by the BRT,” Perez said. He also said raising the fare rate to P10 will affect the riding public.
“We are calling on the Aquino administration to implement the P6 fuel subsidy to all gasoline stations and remove the 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT),” Perez said.
City Administrator Lucelle Mercado and the Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) met to prepare contingency preparations such as designating Kaohsiung buses at major thoroughfares and barangay vehicles to fetch stranded passengers.