No one joining transport strike
THE planned nationwide strike, Tigil Pasada, by militant members of transport groups in the country on Monday will not be felt in Pangasinan.
This was assured by the leadership of the Alliance of United Transport Organization Province-wide (AutoPro) in Pangasinan.
According to Benny Aquino, AutoPro president, the consensus of the group is they will not join the strike call after being assured by President Aquino that he would look into their plight.
“We will give President Aquino the chance to grant what we are fighting for, that includes the review of the de-regulation law passed during the Ramos administration, implementation of the second round of the Pantawid Pasada program, mailed-fist policy against mulcting cops, etc.,”
‘DOUBLE-CODING SCHEME’
However, Aquino said the controversial ‘double-coding’ scheme for public utility vehicles in Dagupan will be brought to national attention when transport groups from around the country gather in a meeting on September 20 in the capital.
The meeting was called by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to discuss the major concerns of transport groups.
The ‘double-coding’ scheme in the city has been viewed by transport groups as “anti-poor” because it forces Dagupan jeepney drivers and operators two days off the streets.
Benny Aquino, president of the Alliance of United Transport Organization Province-wide (AutoPro), said the issue was raised initially by Efren de Luna, president of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO), the mother organization of AutoPro, during the first meeting of leaders of transport groups with President Benigno Aquino III in Malacanang on September 14.
In the meeting with the President, De Luna reported that Dagupan is the only local government unit throughout the country implementing a ‘double-coding, scheme based on the local Ordinance No. 1848-2005.
The ordinance was passed by the Dagupan City Sangguniang Panlungsod in 2005 during the previous term of incumbent Mayor Benjamin Lim.
De Luna stressed that public utility vehicles were issued with franchises by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), a national agency, to operate and cannot be superseded by a local ordinance.
Aquino and his group have been appealing to the city government for the revocation of the ‘double-coding’ scheme but no reconsideration has been made.
He estimates that since the implementation of the scheme, some 2,000 jeepney drivers and operators have been deprived of a monthly income of about P3,200. each.
De Luna invited Aquino to attend the September 20 forum which will also be attended by representatives of the Dagupan City government, to discuss the matter.
The ‘double coding’ scheme was adopted to address the perennial traffic congestion in the downtown area of Dagupan, considered as the commercial and education center of the province.
Aquino, however, pointed out that while legitimate jeepneys are being kept off the streets, “colorum” vehicles continue to operate freely in the city.
“The city government has not succeeded throughout the years in driving away the colorum vehicles,” he said.
AutoPro, composed of 20 transport associations, with about 20,000 members all over Pangasinan, is hopeful that Robredo will call for a stop to the ‘double-coding’ scheme.
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