City defends PBO, unfazed by planned week-long strike
No amount of threats of a transport strike would cause the city government from slowing down on the implementation of the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO).
This was the curt statement of City Councilor Erwin Plagata, chair of the committee on transportation, amid reports that provincial transport groups will hold a week-long strike next week.
The Federation of Iloilo Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association confirmed early Thursday that it will hold a one-week strike in the city starting June 16 until June 20.
The group headed by Proceso Pareño is pushing for the amendment of the PBO which it has long been asking from the city government.
PBO limits the entry of provincial jeepneys to the city proper by imposing the use of car passes.
Pareño said the PBO virtually killed their main source of living.
But Plagata is unfazed by the scheduled transport strike. "It's their right to do that," he said.
"Anyway, it will be the people in the municipalities that will be mostly affected," Plagata said.
"We are trying our best to put order on our traffic system here in the city. They cannot impose on us what they want," Plagata added.
The councilor said they have proven that traffic flow in the city has improved with the implementation of the PBO.
"They have to live with it (referring to PBO). Otherwise, our city will be in chaos," Plagata said.
The transport groups will also bring to their cause the government's apparent disregard of the issues drivers and operators are facing.
Nick Dalisay of the Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association wants the government to address the surging price of petroleum products and to look into the unfair implementation of traffic laws.
Dalisay also lamented that the 2 pesos subsidy promised by Pres. Arroyo for the drivers amid the drastic increase in fuel prices have yet to be released.
Dalisay said they are also pushing for the government to scrap the imposition of value added tax on oil products.
Meanwhile, municipal mayors in Iloilo province expressed their full support to the move of the drivers.
Leon mayor Romulo Cabana, vice chair of the Traffic Technical Working Group of the League of Municipalities, said in their meeting last week the mayors decided to support the planned transport strike as they are concerned about the plight of drivers coming from their towns.
Governor Niel Tupas Sr., on the other hand, said that he will try to meet with the leaders of the transport groups to convince them to shorten if not to forgo of their plan to strike.
Tupas said the planned week-long strike is too long and may affect the commuters from the municipalities especially those who have transactions in the city.