Tinnex belittles Monday’s transport strike

JUDGING from past strikes, Cagayan de Oro Mayor Constantino Jaraula said he was confident today’s transport stoppage will not paralyze public transportation in the city.

“I don’t think it will cause trouble to our operations at City Hall. All departments are business as usual,” Mayor Jaraula said of the transport strike, to be spearheaded by the militant Solidarity of Transport Alliance in Region X (Starex).

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Past transport stoppages in Cagayan de Oro have not been known to cause trouble to commuters, Jaraula observed, saying drivers and operators would rather earn than lose a day’s income.

The moderate Transport Federation of Cagayan de Oro (Trafeco) said it will not join in the stoppage.

Trafeco and Starex have been at odds over policy differences, each refusing to cooperate any transport strike initiated by the other. This has polarized the local transport sector, with majority of drivers and operators not opting to join transport stoppages by both groups instead.
Despite this, the mayor said he was not taking chances.

“We have transport vehicles on standby to ferry our employees,” he said, adding transports strikes should not be made an excuse for employees not to report to work. However, he said those reporting late may be “excused.”

Jaraula said he sympathizes with the demands of the transport sector, but hopes that the protesters and the government would reach compromise so as not to prolong the conflict.

At the heart of the disagreement between the transport group and government is the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) Order 39 and 38, which will substantially increase the fines for traffic violations.

“Mosamot kapait ang kahimtang sa mga draybers tungod sa pagpatuman sa Department Order 38 ug 39 sa Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC),” said Sonny Hinosolango, a coordinator of Starex, which is affiliated with the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston).

Hinosolango said they are expecting an 80 percent participation of public utility drivers and other selected areas in Mindanao.

The identified protest centers where the protesting drivers will congregate will be Puerto, Ororama Mega Center, Licoan, KSY and Bulua.

Piston, which claimed to have about 200,000 members nationwide and its affiliate groups, is protesting the continuous price hike of oil products.

They also denounced the recent price rollback of Petron Corporation, Chevron Philippines and Pilipinas Shell. The group said the rollback was too small to alleviate the hardship in the transport sector.

Piston is also calling on the government to immediately implement the order of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 26 for an audit of the three oil players by the Commission on Audit, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Bureau of Customs.

Carmen Area, near KSY junction

Piston and its affiliates in different regions are also protesting the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) Order nos. 39 and 38, which will substantially increase the fines for traffic violations.

They want the government to scrap the DOTC orders, which they said will spawn more corruption, particularly extortion by traffic personnel.

George San Mateo, secretary general of Piston, said simultaneous transport stoppages will also be held in Southern Tagalog, Baguio, Panay and Guimaras islands, Davao, General Santos City, Legazpi, and Cebu. (DVAIII/Sunnex) Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on July 13, 2009.