MMDA: Gov't ready for extended transport strike

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Saturday said traffic management authorities are ready to support the riding public and motorists during the extended transport strike amid the Holiday rush.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, MMDA chair Atty. Romando Artes assured that the inter-agency coordination with local government units is in place for the nationwide transport strike by PISTON and MANIBELA from Dec. 18 to 29.

"Kung sasabihin nila na two weeks ang kanilang tigil-pasada, two weeks din pong nakahanda tayo para i-minimize 'yung inconvenience sa riding public," Artes said.

(If they say that their transport strike will last two weeks, then we're also ready for the next two weeks to minimize the inconvenience to the riding public.)

PISTON and MANIBELA announced the new protest action on the second day of a two-day transport strike. They are rejecting the yearend deadline of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to consolidate public utility vehicle (PUV) operators, expressing frustration with the government's rollout of its transport modernization program.

One measure to mitigate the impact of the transport strike, Artes said, is to provide free rides in areas where many commuters are monitored to have difficulty securing transportation.

"Hanggang kailangan po, ang ating gobyerno po ay nakahandang tumugon kung sakaling tumuloy ang tigil-pasada. Mayroon tayong inter-agency task force para sa tigil pasada ... na tumutugon kung may pangangailangan ng mga sasakyan. [Sa mga lugar na] may mga naiipon na pasahero, agad naman tayong nagdidipatsa ng libreng sakay," Artes said.

[As long as it takes, our government is ready to respond to the extended transport strike. We have an inter-agency task force on the strikes... which answers the needs of motorists. We quickly deploy free rides in places with a high concentration of commuters.]

Holiday traffic

Artes said the MMDA will deploy over 2,000 traffic enforcers for the Christmas rush, with a "no leave, no absence" policy in effect for its personnel.

Bulk of the MMDA deployment will be in the evening as shoppers are expected to troop to the malls for late-night shopping.

Asked if the transport strike worsened last Friday's payday traffic snarl, Artes said: "'Yan po ang ine-expect namin talaga, na may mga last-minute shopping, 'yung huling pagsho-shopping ng ating mga kababayan. So ang assessment po namin ito ay normal na foot traffic ng mga mananakay at hindi po dahil sa tigil-pasada. Sa amin pong monitoring, kaunti lang naman ang sumama," Artes said.

(We expected heavier traffic because of the last-minute shopping of our countrymen. So our assessment was that commuter foot traffic yesterday was normal, and not brought about by the transport strike. Based on our monitoring, only a few drivers and operators joined the strike.)

The MMDA chief noted that heavy traffic was monitored even in the Mabuhay Lanes during payday Friday.

He also assured that MMDA personnel and policemen are investigating reported incidents of harassment by protesters against other drivers who refused to participate in the strike.

Waiting for a call

For his part, MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena told Dobol B TV that the effects of the two-day transport were most felt in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and Western Visayas.

Valbuena said commuters' sentiments were the best gauge of the transport strike's impact, instead of policy-makers who do not ride PUVs.

He added that MANIBELA has been clamoring and waiting for a call from Malacañang, but this has yet to come.

Asked if the protesters were losing hope for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to issue an Executive Order to extend the PUV consolidation deadline, Valbuena said: "Kaya po namin ito ginagawa, naniniwala po kami na may pag-asa na maisalba ang aming hanapbuhay, na mapakinggan tayo ng ating Pangulo na mali yung mga datos na binibigay sa kanya."

(We are doing this because we believe that there is still hope to save our livelihoods, that the President will listen to us and understand that he is being provided incorrect data.)

During the announcement of the new transport strike, Valbuena said PISTON and MANIBELA were ready to extend the transport strike even beyond Dec. 29. — VDV, GMA Integrated News