Buses ready if PUJ strike affects M’due, Lapu routes

Not rush hour, but a scene in the last June 19 transport strike in Cebu City. A lone jeepney is quickly filled by commuters who had waited for hours for a ride. (CDN FILE PHOTO)

Today’s scheduled transport strike lost steam after several operators and transport groups called it off  but some routes may be affected  in outlying areas of  Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Danao and Liloan town.

The Cebu chapter of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston-Cebu) said it will continue with its half-day “pahulay” (holiday) and stage rallies protesting the Join Administrative Order or JAO 2014-01 which increases penalties for colorum units and drivers’ violations.

A rally starts 9 a.m across Pacific Mall in Mandaue city going to Mandaue City Hall hopes to draw 200 Piston members.

Piston-Cebu coordinator Greg Perez said they will submit their position paper  JAO  2014-01 to the Mandaue City Council.

Perez said their members would not  ply their routes in the morning.

“We are hoping that the Council can help with our problem. Drivers are directly affected with JAO and other existing traffic rules in the city,” Perez said.

Clear stop
He said they also want the Council to scrap existing traffic rules in the city because no consultation was made.

He said there were many ‘no stopping signs’ in Mandaue City that need to be clarified.

There’s no clear stop for drivers, he said.

He said Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon (of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board asked them to submit a position paper to  but they will leave it to the Piston national group.

Last Friday, Cuizon asked Perez to reconsider the group’s plan for a work stoppage to avoid inconveniencing the public.

Last Saturday, 13 Cebu-based transport groups sat down with government officials and committed not to join today’s nationwide strike after they were assured of a review of the JAO by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.

“Lahi man mi nila (We are different from them). We have our own local issues here,” Perez said.

The Cebu city government is fielding Kaohsiung buses for free rides for stranded passengers in  10 major routes and 11 minor routes.

Mandaue City also reserved several  Kaohsiung buses,  six L300 vans and dump trucks  in case many passengers are  stranded.

Quiet
“Wala pa ta’y sure if sa Mandaue ba jud sila (Piston) mu-target, kahibalo baya ta sa mga strikers dili na sila mag-saba (We’re not sure if Piston will target Mandaue. We know how it is with strikers, they want to keep it secret,” said Glenn Antigua, TEAM asst. chief of operations.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak said close to 100 Kaohsiung and barangay buses in specific routes  will be reinforced by  by trucks.

“We’ll continue our plans. We shouldn’t be complacent. We’ll still field the buses for our passengers),” Tumulak said.

Buses will be fielded as early as 5 a.m. today.

School buses
Tumulak asked commuters to leave earlier to avoid being stranded and arriving late for class or work.

He also suggested carpooling or to use one vehicle to fetch  family, neighbors and friends.

Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella ordered all department heads last Friday to pick up their own employees.

Cebu City schools were asked to field their school  buses to fetch their students.

Labella said the Cebu Institute of Technology University has pledged 10 school buses.  “I will be at the command center at 5 a.m,” Labella said.

Monitor
In Mandaue City, TEAM operations chief Edwin Ermac said they will monitor the traffic and commuter flow at their Bantay Mandaue 161 Command Center.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Frank Brazil of the City Traffic Management Services (CTMS) said government vehicles are on standby to fetch stranded commuters.

Raymund Java, information officer of Mactan Export Processing Zone Authority (MEPZA), said their locators were advised last week to prepare vehicles to fetch the 60,000 workers that may fail to get a ride to work./ With Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza and student correspondent Anie M. Paujana

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Transport groups to monitor drivers; Piston to hold rallies