By Francis Allan L. Angelo 

IT WILL be business as usual in Iloilo City despite threats of a transport strike next week.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said major transport groups in the metropolis will not join Monday’s nationwide transport stoppage initiated by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON).

Treñas said he got assurance from the Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association (ICADA), Alliance of Panay Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (APTODA), Association of Taxi Operators in Panay (ATOP) and the Iloilo City Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICAJODA) that they will not the strike.

Nick Dalisay, ICADA president, said they went to the City Mayor’s Office Wednesday to assure Treñas that they will continue ferrying passengers in the city.

Dalisay said it would be premature to join the strike because the latest fare increase granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is still provisional.

Dalisay said they are awaiting the LTFRB to decide on their main petition for the fare hike. 

Dalisay said they don’t have enough funds to support their members during the two-day strike, July 13-14.

“Because of the crisis, we were not able to gather funds to buy rice and food which we distribute to our members when we go on strike. While we join the cause of other groups, the two-day strike is too much for us, we will go hungry,” he added.

PISTON is calling for the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and suspension of the 12% value added tax on petroleum products.

The militant group is also calling for the suspension of Department of Transportation and Communication Order N0. 38 and 39 which increased administrative fees such as licensing fees and penalties on traffic rule violators.  

Treñas said he will meet transport groups to help solve their grievances and try to postpone the strike.

Treñas said he will not allow the city to suffer economic losses because of the strike. He added that he will find ways to meet protesting transport groups.

The mayor said he can use his emergency powers to facilitate smooth transportation of passengers and goods in and out of the city.

“We can allow tricycles and trisikads to ply city streets. We can also suspend the car pass system on provincial jeeps to allow them to ferry their passengers and cargoes in the city. Or we may opt to suspend the perimeter boundary ordinance as a drastic measure,” he said.

Treñas said there is no need to deploy government vehicles to ferry employees and stranded commuters during the strike because city streets will be opened to provincial public utility jeepneys. (With reports from LCPendon)