The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is ready for the week-long transport strike.
MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said contingency measures were already in place to ensure that the commuting public will not be inconvenienced and transportation operations will not be paralyzed during the seven-day transport strike set by transport group Manibela.
Artes announced that the agency dispatched vehicles offering free rides to the riding public that will be affected during the duration of the transport strike.
“A total of 25 vehicles are ready to be deployed, including 4 air-conditioned buses, 2 non-air-conditioned buses, and 13 commuter vans.”
“A total of 25 vehicles are ready to be deployed, including 4 air-conditioned buses, 2 non-air-conditioned buses, and 13 commuter vans,” the traffic chief said.
“These libreng sakay vehicles that we will deploy starting Monday can carry around 1,200 passengers per trip,” the traffic head added.
As for the routes, the MMDA together with other concerned agencies had an inter-agency task force meeting to determine and finalize the routes where these vehicles and other assets will be prepositioned.
“We assure the public that we are ready and our assets and resources are readily available for dispatch to areas where there are reported stranded commuters to not compete against those transport groups who will not be joining the strike,” Artes explained.
Meanwhile, MMDA General Manager Usec. Procopio Lipana, who is also the head of the inter-agency secretariat, warned motorists who will take advantage of the situation in the next few days.
“We are on alert in case there will be incidents of snobbing and overcharging passengers.”
“We will have our full deployment in the MMDA and in the Philippine National Police – National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) and we are on alert in case there will be incidents of snobbing and overcharging passengers,” Lipana said.
The MMDA deployed more than 2000 personnel to monitor situations on the ground who are tasked to give immediate feedback and reports as to areas where there are stranded commuters.
Department of National Defense Assistant Secretary Henry Robinson said that the DND is ready to deploy their vehicles to the inter-agency task force.
The PNP-NCRPO, through its Operations Officer PCol. Roman Arugay, said that they will exercise maximum tolerance towards those who will join the tigil-pasada.
Other agencies who expressed their readiness for the transport strike are the Department of Interior and Local Government which will determine situation at the local government units, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which is in talks with bus companies in case there’s a need for augmentation, and the Office of the Executive Secretary which will provide other government offices with employees shuttle services that will likewise give free rides to affected commuters.
Some Metro Manila LGUs also offered libreng sakay in their areas in view of the transport strike.
The one-week transport strike will be staged to protest the government’s PUV Modernization Program.
