Free bus ride
City deploys 30 buses today
THE city government of Davao will deploy 30 buses to give free rides to passengers within the city in line with the nationwide transport strike today.
Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) head Dionisio Abude, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao, said the buses will cater to passengers in downtown area, Panacan, Agdao, Catitipan, Toril, Mintal and Calinan.
Abude said that the number of buses per area will depend on the influx of the passengers.
Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio on Thursday declared
suspension of classes in all levels from kindergarten to college today.
Meanwhile, Malacañang yesterday also declared suspension of classes to all levels and no work for government offices also in support to the nationwide strike led by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston).
Abude said all 30 buses will gather at 5 a.m. to pick up the marshals from Davao City Police Office, before it will head to their respective assignments.
Meanwhile, he added that the CTTMO in coordination with DCPO made plans in case protestors stage a road blockage.
"There is deployment of police and traffic enforcers in persuasion areas," he said, naming Milan, Alcantara, Agdao area, Bankerohan, Matina, Toril, Roxas Avenue, and Claro M. Recto Avenue.
"These are the area where officials of Piston stay based on our transport strike experience," Abude said.
Transport of Southern Mindanao for Solidarity, Independence and Nationalism (Transmision-Piston) spokesperson Edwin Fernandez, in an interview with told Sun. Star Davao, said they expect 99 to 100 percent participation of drivers to protest against House Bill 4334 that according to him may sorely affect jeepney drivers.
"We will also protest against Department Order 2016, which contains the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, which dictates the scrapping of public utility vehicles and the trip management scheme which puts power to big operators in handling modernized units," Fernandez said in vernacular.
Fernandez said that since Wednesday, October 11, 2017, they have already given Notice of Strike (NOS) to the City Government of Davao, so that it can designate buses for stranded passengers.
He said aside from the city, they have also given NOS to schools, public offices, establishments, to inform them that they will conduct a big transport strike.
He said that drivers form different routes will be joining.
"Those who will primary join are those from Bangkal, Ulas, Puan, Matina Pangi, Matina Aplaya, and Toril. Those from Routes 1 to 13 will also support the Transmision Piston strike," Fernandez added.
He said that Sasa route, and public utility vehicles (PUV) travelling to Panacan, Bunawan, and Panabo also committed to join the strike.
The city mayor, however, reminded that crimes committed during the strike will not be tolerated, asking protesters to practice self-restraint in their actions.