IATF-MT sets contingency plans for July 24-26 transport strike

The Inter-Agency Task Force Monitoring Team (IATF-MT) met on Tuesday to set the contingency plans that would aid commuters during the transportation strike set to begin during President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address on July 24.

Among the plans discussed were the dispatch of rescue vehicles to ferry passengers that might be affected, and the monitoring of weather conditions on the day of the President’s SONA.

"We request the LGUs to cooperate with the single dispatching system of the rescue assets at the [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority] Command Center on the day itself," said Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra.

"During the last transport strike, we were able to monitor through the CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras the convergence of rallyists, and can easily call the PNP (Philippine National Police) to maintain peace and order."

An inventory of assets by the MMDA would serve as the grounds for the allocation of rescue vehicles to be dispatched on the day of the event.

"Inter-agencies are prepared to take necessary measures on the affected routes; monitoring and coordination with the LGUs are necessary. Each national and local agency is ready to provide rescue units or vehicles to assist the riding public in case possible passengers build up," said MMDA General Manager Undersecretary Procopio Lipana.

Lipana added that the central dispatch would see to getting rescue vehicles to stranded passengers so that other transport groups and drivers who will not join the transport strike can continue their usual services and earn income.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board would remain in contact with transport groups that were not joining the upcoming strike, while the PNP-NCR Police Office would deploy their reaction teams in areas targeted as hotspots for harassment.

The contingency meeting was held on Tuesday in the newly inaugurated MMDA Communications and Command Center (MMDA CCC) at the MMDA Head Office in Pasig City. Aside from Guevarra and Lipana, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes also presided over the meeting with representatives from the NCRPO, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Office of Civil Defense, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic, the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), and other concerned agencies in attendance.

The meeting was called after transport group Manibela announced on Saturday that they would be holding a transport strike on July 24 to 26 to protest the PUV Modernization Program. — DVM, GMA Integrated News