ILOILO CITY – Public transport was paralyzed in the Iloilo , Aklan and Capiz provinces as public utility vehicles stayed off the streets for the second straight day to protest oil prince increases.

In Iloilo , the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) and the Hugpong Transport Alliance said that around 95 percent of public jeepneys in the city and towns of the province stayed off their routes.

“This shows the sentiments of the jeepney drivers and operators against the failure of the government to regulate oil prices. We demand the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law which has allowed the giant oil companies to dictate the prices,” Piston-Iloilo President Edgar Salarda said.

He said the strike also resulted in an estimated loss of P20 million to oil companies in terms of fuel sales in the two-day strike on Panay island .

Schools in Iloilo suspended classes as few students were able to go to school despite the absence of an order from the Department of Education suspending classes.

Malls, others businesses and government offices remained open but there was a marked decrease in mall-goers.

Angel de Leon Jr., president of Chamber of Commerce in Iloilo Inc., said business suffered a drop in sales from 20 to 30 percent in the first day of the strike. The drop was expected to be bigger on its second day because more transport groups joined the protest action.

Militant groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan erected protest centers in key intersections in the city to show support to protesting transport groups.

The groups later converged along Bonifacio Drive for a protest rally.

In Aklan, public transport was paralyzed for the second straight day including 90 in the capital town of Kalibo where around 90 percent of tricycles stayed off the streets.

Piston Provincial Coordinator Felix Sefres Jr. said in a statement that vans, multicabs and small buses joined the strike.

Most of the classes in all levels in the provinces were also suspended.

In Capiz, the Hugpong Transport Alliance said at least 95 percent of public transport joined the strike.

Joel Perion, president of the Roxas City Tricycle Drivers Association and convenor of the Hugpong Transport in the province, said in a telephone interview that almost all of the 3,500 tricycle units plying in the city stayed off the streets.

Vans and public jeepneys plying routes between municipalities and to Roxas City also joined the strike.

Classes in the most elementary schools were also suspended and there were few students in the high school and college levels.*NPB

back to top