BY: Elaine O. Ratunil
Photo: Bulatlat.com
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Sept. 20 (PIA) – At least 10 buses coming from two (2) big transport companies, the Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) and Super 5, were placed at the disposal of the Task Force Transport Strike organized by the Cagayan de Oro City Government to assist the passengers affected by yesterday’ transport strike.
Engr. Nonito Oclarit, Head of the city’s Road and Transport Administration (RTA) said the use of the buses was facilitated by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in the region.
Along with the buses were three (3) 6x6 trucks of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, and more than five (5) motor vehicles of the city government, were fielded in the different parts of the city to assist commuters, Oclarit said.
“It was actually business as usual, even with only 25-30 percent of the public utility jeepneys (PUJ) mostly not affiliated with any transport groups, took to the streets to ferry the commuters” he said.
The “Libreng Sakay” project of the City Government, with the RMTI and Super 5 buses, the 6x6 trucks and the motor vehicles of the city has indeed helped, Oclarit said.
Meanwhile, he said the strike was generally peaceful as strikers confined themselves to the seven (7) designated areas of engagement allowed them, which were mostly considered “choke” points, namely:
Barangay Bulua, Vamenta-Sereña junction, Kauswagan junction, Licoan-Recto junction, Ororama Megacenter, Trendline and Puerto junction.
By 3:00 p.m., the strikers converged near the Gaisano Mall for a short program before they disbanded.
So far, only one (1) incident of the “suyak” or improvised nails that deflated the tires of a motor vehicle was reported, but no other on-toward incident took place.
Likewise, there was no reported burning of tires, during yesterday’s strike, a good depart from the previous practice where strikers burned tires to attract attention to their cause.
They just calmly explained about their concerns of urging the government to order the roll-back in the prices of oil, which was their foremost complaints, Oclarit added.
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