Bicolwide transport strike paralyzes 85% of Sorsogon transpo

News Release

Bicolwide transport strike paralyzes 85% of Sorsogon transpo

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, March 16, (PIA) – Compared to a busy street in the past days, roads particularly the main ones in the province of Sorsogon can be observed to be of less dense as the Bicol wide transport strike officially takes off 12:01 in the morning, March 16.

Monitoring of PIA Sorsogon bared that past six o’clock this morning, almost 85 percent of land transportation in general was already paralyzed.

Buses and vans with routes within and outside of the province are 100 percent paralyzed, Terminals are cleared with light barricades indicating that no trips will be made available until twelve midnight today.

However, there are tricycles especially private/colorum ones that were not controlled from picking up passengers amidst the call of Pinag-isang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), Land transportation Coalition and Alyansang Makabayan for a full paralization of transportation here.

“Aside from we were not able to receive notice of strike, we cannot also compromise the 1-day food consumption of our family but this doesn’t mean that we don’t recognize what the strike organizers advocate for,” said some tricycle drivers who opted not to join.

PISTON Bicol spokesperson Eduardo Ferreras said that they will not force those who opted not to join since they also respect them, but he still maintains the call and continue to encourage them to change their mind and join.

“We also strictly condemn any form of sabotage and calls on the non-supportive elements to make the transport strike a peaceful activity,” he added.

The 1-day transport strike aims at resolving the issue of uncontrolled oil price hike, sky-rocketing prices of basic commodities and the very low income of workers. Transport strike organizers and Sorsoganons as well are optimistic that the government will listen to their battlecry and will eventually remove the 12% petroleum VAT. “This is the best solution the government can do and not to add some more to the burden of the common people through fare hike,” Ferreras also added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education Sorsogon Schools and City Division did not declare any suspension of classes.

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Marilyn Dimaano said that they leave the decision to parents whether or not they will send their children to school. She also directed the teachers and school personnel to report to their respective schools particularly that not all students are commuters.

“Activities scheduled by DepEd today like meetings, seminars and the like will continue,” she also said.

Both Dimaano and City Schools Division Superintendent Virgilio Real stressed out that if suspension of classes cannot be avoided, they leave it to the discretion of the school head, however, they are to pay by holding make-classes on a Saturday.

This morning before 8AM, big public schools and even private schools here in the city have decided to finally cancel classes due to a few attendance of students.

Also affected was attendance of employees in both public and private offices and establishments here but business remains as usual. (PIA Sorsogon)