Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
The national government is ready to respond to any disruption of public transportation on Tuesday, Jan. 16, during the conduct of a transport strike and protest action by transport group Manibela from Quezon City to Manila.
But Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Don Artes expressed confidence that there will be no major impact on public transportation in the National Capital Region since there is already an existing template for any transport strike.
“We understand that it’s not a tigil-pasada (transport strike) but merely a protest by the two transport groups. But just the same, we are ready to respond. We will monitor the situation as early as 5 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Artes.
“And in case there is a disruption in the public transportation system, we will augment; we are ready. We already notified the various LGUs (local government units) to be prepared. And the MMDA itself is preparing for any eventuality tomorrow,” he added.
Manibela national president Mar Valbuena said that the protest action is aimed at urging President Marcos to shelve the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization and to return the franchise to jeepney drivers.
He said they expect at least 10,000 to attend the protest march from Quezon City to Manila on Tuesday.
Police Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said they have not monitored in threat on the Jan. 16 conduct of protest march and transport strike.
“We have not monitored any threat, except for possible paralysis of transportation depending on the number of those who would attend,” said Acorda.
“But I am encouraging especially those who will be participating in this protest or activity, let’s do this peacefully. You can freely express your sentiments and based on my conversation with other agencies, they are willing to listen,” he added.
He said policemen will be deployed to secure the protest march and all of them were instructed to exercise maximum tolerance. — Aaron Recuenco
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