Free rides to be provided during strike

MANILA, Philippines — All the mayors in Metro Manila and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have agreed to provide libreng sakay (free rides) for commuters who will be affected by the week-long jeepney strike starting March 6.

In an interview with GMA-7, Metro Manila Council (MMC) president and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said mayors, during their meeting on Thursday, agreed to provide free rides to commuters.

“We had a council meeting on Thursday. The MMC and the metro mayors are ready to use their respective government vehicles during the tigil pasada on Monday,” Zamora said.

“All the mayors and the representatives who attended yesterday’s meeting have agreed to do this to augment means of transportation just in case the tigil pasada will push through on Monday,” Zamora said, adding that the “MMDA is also there and has expressed its willingness to use all its buses to accommodate commuters.”

Zamora said all LGUs are preparing measures to ease the situation for commuters and the MMDA is also ready to lift the number coding scheme should the jeepney strike push through.

He also mentioned that they have information that the so-called magnificent seven composed of big transport operators are not joining the transport strike.

For its part, Malacañang has announced that the government will mobilize around 106 vehicles to help ferry stranded commuters.

During an inter-agency meeting presided over by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra, concerned government agencies came out with contingencies to lessen the effects of the transport group strike which starts Monday.

“Despite the assurance that 94 percent of jeepney drivers are not joining the transport group strike, the administration… has prepared several contingencies to help commuters who will be affected by the disturbance,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

The MMDA, PNP and Armed Forces will be mobilizing around 106 of their transport vehicles to ferry commuters to destinations.

The MMDA will also provide the Department of Transportation and the PNP with a command center to monitor the status of traffic in areas affected by the strike.

LGU mobilization

Several local government units (LGUs) have also mobilized their respective vehicle fleets to assist commuters during the week-long transport strike.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday said the local government has crafted an action plan to address the possible impact of the strike, as she ordered city bus units to be on standby to assist commuters, particularly in the following areas: Cubao, Commonwealth Avenue, Welcome Rotonda, Novaliches, East Avenue, Quezon Memorial Circle and Fairview.

The city government of Muntinlupa, meanwhile, has announced it will deploy buses, trucks, flexi vans and electric jeeps that will give free transportation in six routes from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Sheila Crisostomo, Ghio Ong, Janvic Mateo, Romina Cabrera, Paolo Romero, Emmanuel Tupas