Transport group mulls strike over irregular apprehensions vs drivers
BACOLOD City – The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) is planning to hold a transport strike here due to alleged massive i rregular apprehensions against jeepney drivers.
Diego Malacad, secretary general of UNDOC, disclosed their forthcoming action on Friday if the city government will not answer or fails to investigate their concerns about the implementation of the traffic ordinances by the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO).
“After the press conference this coming Tuesday, kon indi masabat ni Mayor (Alfredo Abelardo Benitez) kag mapa imbistigaran, try naton mag-untat byahe,” Malacad said.
The group has sent a letter to the Sangguniang Panlungsod ( SP) regarding their concerns through the city council’s committee on traffic. Malacad said he was given the chance last week to deliver a privilege speech during t he SP’s regular session t o express t he sentiments of the transport group.
He claimed t hat t he operation of the BTAO towards the drivers is “injustice and inhumane.”
UNDOC is questioning the authority of the traffic p e r s o n n e l c o n f i s c a t i n g driver’s licenses, and Malacad pointed out that only regular employees of BTAO are allowed to do so.
He cited t hat under Republic Act No. 4136, job order casuals have no accountability if they issue citation tickets.
Their other concern is the massive operation against colorum jeepneys conducted by BTAO i n barangays Handumanan and Felisa.
Malacad j ustified that some jeepneys are still in the process of obtaining their permits and should not be tagged as colorum.
He also noted that there should be no towing operations in the two barangays, which are not part of the city’s twoaway zones./