CEBU, Philippines (Updated 1:03 p.m.) — Today’s transport strike has failed to cripple public transportation in Metro Cebu, local government officials said.
According to Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, deputy mayor for peace and order, many public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers, especially those not belonging to the protesting transport groups, still opted to ply the streets.
Tumulak cited the suspension of classes and government works as one of the reasons why the strike barely affected public transport.
"Pero, andam ra gihapon atong buses para motabang if naay mga ma-stranded karong hapon," he said.
In Lapu-Lapu City, the strike has also failed to cause significant impact on traffic as PUJs continued to operate.
"Wala man ni-symphatize ang mga PUJs," said Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer Andy Berame.
Berama said that based on initial assessments, traffic situation in the city remained normal this morning because work and classes have been cancelled.
A bus, one of the many deployed by the city government of Lapu-Lapu to ferry stranded passengers, only managed to pick a few people.
"Wala kaayo'y nanakay. Ang napadagan lang kay ang bus. Amo tong gikuha ang na-stranded gikan sa Parkmall padung Lapu-Lapu. Human ato, wala na," Berame said.
The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) and Stop and Go Coalition announced earlier they will join the transport strike to protest the government’s plan to phase out jeepneys aged 15 years and older.
Other major transport groups, however, said they were not joining. These include the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) and Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association (PASANG MASDA).
Piston-Cebu members earlier said they were not aiming to cripple transportation but just air their sentiments on the planned jeepney phaseout./JMD