Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian. Image from his website, wesgatchalian.com
MANILA, Philippines — The city government of Valenzuela announced on Thursday that it would deploy “Libreng Sakay” vehicles to aid commuters within the area during the reported week-long transport strike by various associations of jeepney drivers beginning March 6.
Based on reports, an estimated 40,000 public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila will join a week-long strike next week in response to the government’s PUV modernization program despite the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) extension of traditional jeepney phaseout until December 31.
To help affected commuters, Mayor Wes Gatchalian met with several Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (JODA) in the city on Wednesday, assuring citizens that transport operations within the area will continue despite the strike.
“Makakaasa po ang ating mga kababayan na magkaroon man ng strike o hindi, patuloy pa rin po ang serbisyo, patuloy pa rin po ang pag-transport natin sa ating mga kababayan patungo sa kanilang pupuntahan sa trabaho man o sa paaralan man ay tuloy pa rin ang ating operasyon,” said Gatchalian in a statement.
(Our fellow citizens can hope that the service will continue whether there is a strike. We will continue transporting commuters to where they are going; whether it’s work or school, our operation will continue.)
Gatchalian said that the city government will dispatch “eight Libreng Sakay trucks at four major routes in the city; four trucks along MacArthur Highway Malanday to Marulas route, one truck for Malanday to Polo route, two trucks for Malinta to Novaliches route, and one truck for Polo to Monumento route.”
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