Phase-out plan still a concept - LTFRB Regional Dir Guro

 

Regional Director Aminoden D. Guro, LTFRB region X, Cagayan de Oro City.

Iligan City - In a telephone interview with the newly confirmed Regional Director Aminoden D. Guro, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Region X, Cagayan de Oro City, said that the issue on phase-out on old units is still a concept. There is no order yet from the transportation department about the matter. However it might take two or three years from now that the modernization program of public utilities will take place. The government also have an assistance program for the transport sector affected on the modernization program of the government. Guro said that his office is open for a dialogue with the transport groups to discuss any clarifications of the issue.

In a radio interview, PSSUPT Leony Roy Ga, City Director of the Iligan City Police office (ICPO), said that the transport strike paralyzed the public utilities operation in Iligan City from 90 to 100 percent. He said that habalhabal motorcycle and racal vehicle were operating and give them a chance to pick-up passengers during the day of the strike only as alternative public transportation.

L-R: PSSUPT Ga, Mayor Regencia, PSSUPT Mijares
(Courtesy from FB)

In another radio interview, Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia, during the transport strike, made a call to all government employees who have owned a vehicle used in going to work to let other people ride also in going to work so that they can render their job despite the transport strike. 

Mr. Raul Permites, President of the Coalition of Lanao del Norte Utilities Transport for Change (CLUTCH) said that the purpose of the strike was to air their voice about the main issue on phase-out. He said that the modernization plan of the government to include the phase-out of old units was already discussed in the media with the people from the national government. He said they are not against the modernization plan but it should be clarified to the transport sector on what is the mechanism of the phase-out.

Permites said that their demands is no to phase-out without just transition. The just transition will involve the five (5) moratorium on Public utility vehicle (PUV) phase-out as a preparatory period, there must be state subsidies or assistance fund for transport modernization; end of importation of surplus vehicles; no to 10-unit per franchise policy; and no to wifi/gps - global positioning system policy, to all PUVs.

  

CLUTCH Officers meeting

Permites said that during the transport strike, unity was their weapon and strength and unity will not be defeated. He said that there were challenges they encountered during the strike. PUVs from other places entered Iligan City area have had heated altercations with the strikers. There was also an armed person in civilian clothes believed to be a law enforcer penetrated in the group of strikers in Tubod, Iligan City when asked who he was but heated arguments ensued and later on the armed person poked his gun to the strikers and ran inside the PAGIBIG office for a hide. Permites said that the transport strike in Iligan City was generally peaceful. 

Permites said that they are planning for a courtesy meeting with the LTFRB X Regional Director Guro, in his office in Cagayan de Oro City.