DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/December 22) – Around 80 to 90 percent of Davao City’s 6,000 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers and operators will join the transport strike on December 27, Tuesday, an official of a transport group said.
Transmission-Piston Southern Mindanao spokesperson Larry Argilles said the protest action would serve to air their grievances and objections to the local government’s Davao Bus Project (DBP) formerly known as high priority bus system (HPBS) and the eventual expiration of jeepney franchises by December 31, if they fail to undergo a mandatory franchise consolidation.
“Based on our talks with the Davao operators and drivers and the statement they gave to the federation, of around 6,000 PUJ units, 90 percent will be idle on Wednesday because of the transport strike,” Argilles said in the vernacular in an interview with the media Friday.
He said almost all PUJ drivers plying the various city routes will be participating on Wednesday.
Memorandum Circular 2023-051 issued by the Land Transportation Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on December 14 says that all provisional authorities issued to individual operators of traditional jeepneys in all routes without consolidated transport service entities (TSEs) are deemed revoked effective January 1, 2024.
A show cause order will also be issued to those who would not comply with the LTFRB’s memorandum.
Argilles also said phasing out PUJs will not solve the worsening traffic condition in the city as around 80 percent of vehicles traversing the streets are private vehicles.
He proposed that instead of “rushing” jeepney phaseouts, the government must impose number or color coding schemes, build more streets and bike lanes, and utilize water bodies as alternative transport routes.
“The point of this strike is many will starve, many drivers and operators won’t be able to send their children to school, and more people will become unemployed [if the phaseout pushes through],” he said.
Meanwhile, for PUJ driver and operator Tito Gersamio, he said the PUJ phaseout would add burden to the drivers, especially those who are already old.
“I started driving in 1989, and I have been driving for 24 years now… If the phaseout continues, it will be difficult for me to send my children to school, especially since we are already getting old,” Gersamio said in vernacular.
However, commuters interviewed by MindaNews expressed shock and disappointment with the transport groups’ decision.
Wally Ochoa, a construction worker, said he hopes the jeepney drivers will reconsider holding a transport strike on Wednesday, as he is expected to report to their supervisor by next week to hasten the completion of their project.
“Being a contractual worker, it would be hard for me to go where I work. I cannot afford taxis or buses. If there’s no jeepney, it means we’ll have nothing to eat on that day,” he said in the vernacular.
He, however, said he also understands that “they are exercising their right” to air their problems to the government.
Amy Corcuera, a customer service representative, said it would be crucial for her work as their presence is really important, given the workload that they have during December.
“On our account, during December, we expect a thousand queries, we are needed to be there. One missed day will be a hassle for me, for all of us, as we cannot hit our quota which will be crucial for my work,” she said.
During his State of the City Address at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Friday, City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said Dabawenyos should experience a “painful transition” once the government implements the DBP.
“Akong pangutana sa inyoha, andam ba mo mag baktas? (My question to you is this, are you ready to walk?),” he asked.
The DBP will install 1,000 bus stops which will be put up 500 meters apart from each other along the 29 bus routes around the city. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
