Jeepney strike also hits Laguna, Batangas

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA — Monday’s transport strike was felt in some parts of Southern Tagalog, forcing some local governments to suspend afternoon classes.

The city government of San Pablo in Laguna province suspended afternoon classes while the Batangas City government in Batangas province ordered schools to dismiss students early.

Rommel Palacol of the Laguna Action Center, however, said the strike staged by public utility jeepney drivers did not affect commuters in the rest of Laguna.

In a telephone interview, Stop and Go coalition president Jun Magno warned of a bigger strike in the coming weeks, saying their group’s dialogue with the  Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had “failed.”

“In some areas, 70 percent (of transport) was paralyzed while less in other areas. So I will just give an average of 40 percent (transport paralysis) in the provinces,” he said.

Magno, claiming that his group has “thousands” of jeepney drivers as members, hit the government’s jeepney modernization plan which, he said, would edge out smaller operators.  SFM/rga