Cebu, Capiz hit by jeep strike over hefty fines

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Public transport in Cebu and Capiz was disrupted on Thursday after jeepney drivers went on strike to protest an increase in fines for unlicensed public utility vehicles.

The strike, led by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston), prompted school officials to suspend classes in public elementary and secondary schools in the capital cities of Cebu and Roxas.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak said the strike appeared to be successful, but the City Traffic Operations and Management (Citcom) said it just made it difficult for commuters to get rides.

“It was not total paralysis,” said Rafael Yap, Citcom chief.

Scores of students and workers waited for rides that did not come. The scene was common in the streets of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay cities.

Tumulak said commuters were caught off guard because the strike, supposed to start at 10 a.m., started earlier at 6 a.m.

Greg Perez, Piston head in Cebu, said drivers are protesting the increase of fines for traffic violations to as much as P2,000.

Perez said corrupt traffic enforcers would apprehend jeepney drivers for the slightest mistake to mulch from them.

At least 300 drivers gathered at Fuente Osmeña circle around 9 a.m. and walked more than 2 kilometers to the office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Central Visayas on N. Bacalso Avenue for a dialogue with Arnel Tancinco, LTO regional chief.

The dialogue ended at 1 p.m. but the drivers decided to take the entire day off.

In Capiz, the strike also emptied roads of provincial jeepneys and disrupted public transport in Roxas City.

Edgar Salarda, Piston-Panay coordinator, said 100 percent of jeepneys and vans and 90 percent of tricycles in Roxas City stayed off the streets.

Classes in all levels in public schools in Roxas City were suspended. The provincial government sent dump trucks and other vehicles to ferry stranded passengers. Carine M. Asutilla, Doris C. Bongcac, Jhunnex Napallacan and Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas