2-day transport strike has no impact in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 17 -- The two-day nationwide jeepney strike has no impact in this city as most drivers and operators snubbed the call to join the nationwide protest against jeepney modernization, the city police office here confirmed Tuesday.

Senior Inspector Jessica Ortega, spokesperson of the city police office here, said the regional capital is generally peaceful since Monday.

Not a single rally against the jeepney phase out was held in any part of the city.

“Public transport is normal in the city and the situation is generally peaceful based on our monitoring,” Ortega told PNA in a mobile phone interview.

Francisco Penedilla, Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) Eastern Visayas president said their group did not officially declare a strike in the region, but some joined the nationwide protest.

“Many of our jeepney drivers opted to operate Monday and Tuesday to support their families’ hand-to-mouth existence and we respect them,” Penedilla told reporters.

Most of those who joined the transport strike are drivers of San Jose-bound jeepneys. The route is from the city’s downtown to airport.

In the region's capital, public transport was not paralyzed with the presence of multicabs transporting passengers from downtown to different parts of the city. A multicab is a small light truck in the Philippines generally used for public transport.

Patricia Salvo, a student intern from Tanauan, Leyte, some 18 kilometers south of the city, said it’s like a normal day for jeepney commuters in Leyte.

“It’s even easier to catch a jeepney ride especially that the government suspended classes in public schools,” Salvo said.

Malacañang cancelled government works and classes in all levels nationwide on Monday and Tuesday due to the two-day transport strike.

Piston organized the nationwide protest to oppose the government’s planned jeepney modernization program.

Under the modernization program, jeepneys older than 15 years, would be replaced with electric-powered and Euro 4-compliant vehicles.

“Instead of phase out, regulators should check if a jeepney is road worthy or not. The Land Transportation Office is very strict with minor violations, but doesn't even strictly check if a jeepney is really safe,” Penedilla added. (SQM/VCA/PNA)