PISTON fails to cripple transport in Metro Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Except for one route in Mandaue City, militant drivers yesterday failed to cripple the public transportation in Metro Cebu.

Members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper and Operators Nationwide (PISTON)-Cebu were barely able to paralyze 30 percent of the Ibabao-Estancia route in Mandaue City for two hours during a protest to raise issues against the local and national governments, including the controversial Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 which prescribes stiffer penalties for traffic violators.

Felix Suico, head of Mandaue City's disaster risk reduction office, said that he only observed 30 percent reduction of jeepneys in the Ibabao-Estancia route.

"Wa man naka apekto kay naa man mi ge deploy nga pito ka mga service vehicles," Suico said.

Greg Perez, coordinator of PISTON-Cebu, admitted only 10 percent of their members joined the protest rally.

"Bisan gamay ra mi ang nag rally, di namo ma konsider nga failure ang among gihimo kay gipaminaw man mi sa city government," said Perez in a press conference after a dialogue with City Administrator James Abadia and City Councilor Elstone Dabon.

Among the demands of PISTON-Cebu is for the Mandaue City Council to pass a resolution in support of the drivers plea to scrap the controversial order, designate area for loading and unloading, stop the rerouting that was made without prior consultation, punish the abusive traffic enforcers, and for traffic chief Edwin Ermac to resign.

The joint administrative order implemented by the Department of Transportation and Communication, the Land Transportation Office, and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board starting July 19 imposes stiffer penalties on erring motorists.

Dabon, chairman of the committee on transportation in the Mandaue City Council, said he will schedule a public hearing as soon as possible. Abadia requested drivers to report to the Office of the City Mayor any abuses of the traffic enforcers.

Ermac, who was stranded in Camotes Island, said he would be very willing to resign should Mayor Jonas Cortes asked him to do so.

"I am doing what is best for the city traffic. Og mo-resign man gani ko, di tungod sa ilang mga whims and caprices. But if Mayor Cortes has no more trust in me and will ask me to resign, mo-resign dayon ko," Ermac said.

Ermac said he did not also receive any complaint about the alleged abuses of his traffic enforcers.

In Cebu City, the local government was overly prepared. In fact, over 50 Kaoshiung buses and barangay vehicles were deployed in major and minor thoroughfares anticipating for the worst.

However, the vehicles were withdrawn between 8 to 9 a.m. after Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella noticed that the protest rally did not affect the public transportation in Cebu City.

"Based sa footages sa command center nga hapsay and regular ang dagan sa trapiko and walay possible strike atong gi-withdraw and gipabalik ang mga sakyanan sa tagsa-tagsa nila ka stations," Labella said.

"Di sad maayo nga atong padaganon ang mga buses kay mawad-an og panginabuhian ang atong mga jeepney drivers," he added.

Major transport organizations in Cebu were supposed to hold a two-day transport strike starting yesterday to protest the exorbitant fines for traffic violations.

But transport leaders, except for PISTON officials, called off the scheduled strike after meeting with DOTC Secretary Emilio Abaya. The transportation secretary assured the transport groups to revisit the controversial order. — Mitchelle L.Palaubsanon, Kristine B. Quintas, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo /FPL