Authorities brace for transport strike

Officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and representatives of various government agencies on Friday prepared plans to cope with the transport strike by members of the militant group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) slated for Monday.

Francis Tolentino, MMDA chairman, who met with officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the military, and several local governments units, said authorities wanted to make sure that the strike did not adversely affect traffic and the peace and order situation on the day.

Piston earlier announced it was pushing through with its strike, saying the dialogue with President Benigno Aquino III and other top administration officials failed to address the transport sector’s woes.

Piston said the strike was a protest against the continued increase of fuel prices and was aimed at pressing the government to reimpose price regulations on the oil industry.

Pooling resources

Tolentino said officials would do all they could to make the transport strike a peaceful activity. “The different government agencies are here to pool our resources,” he said.

He also disclosed that he would be in constant communication with Piston leader George San Mateo on Monday to ensure an orderly situation.

“We have just activated ‘Oplan Grasshopper,’” Tolentino told reporters. “This is an inter-agency plan that would address whatever contingency that would arise this coming Monday. We will be on alert starting at 12 noon on Sunday until the activity ends the following day.”

To show the “seriousness” of the members of the inter-agency group, the MMDA chief disclosed that the Department of Justice had assigned several inquest prosecutors in various police districts to address problems regarding the filing of cases against those who violated the law.

“Those who will sow chaos or cause inconvenience, as well as those who will coerce their fellow drivers or other motorists or the riding public to join their protest action, will be dealt with accordingly,” he said. “We will ensure that the riding public will not suffer any inconvenience.”

Tolentino said the PNP would deploy policemen in areas where the protesters were expected to converge.

He said the policemen would ensure peace and order, while MMDA personnel would help ease traffic along routes affected by the strike.

No number coding

Tolentino also announced that the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number-coding scheme would not be enforced on Monday.

He said around 300 buses from various cooperatives that are members of the Department of Transportation and Communication and LTFRB would be deployed to provide free rides and ferry stranded passengers.

“Several transport groups have already informed me that they are not joining the strike, so they will fill up areas that will be vacated by Piston,” Tolentino said.

The National Land Transport Council (NLTC), a group of operators and drivers of  jeepney, tricycle and Asian utility vehicles announced Friday it would not join the strike and offered to help the government ferry passengers on Monday.

“We would rather provide service to the public by ferrying them rather than cause inconvenience,” said Vulfre Estepa, chair of the NLTC.