“Ayaw namin ng phaseout,” shouted members of the Balanga- Orani Drivers Operators Association, as they parked their jeepneys in their terminal and shoulder of the MacArthur Highway here.
Government transport terminals for jeepneys bound for Dinalupihan, Orani and Abucay were vacant and seen were some vehicles of the Metro Bataan Development Authority off ering “libreng sakay”.
“Mahirap kapag walang jeep,” and “malaking perhuwisyo kapag walang biyahe,” commented commuters in MBDA service vehicles.
No passenger jeepney was seen on the MacArthur Highway from Balanga City to Dinalupihan while some passengers were waiting along the highway.
Affected by the transport strike were passengers bound from Balanga City to the towns of Abucay, Samal, Orani, Hermosa and Dinalupihan and vice-versa.
“Ipinararating lang namin ang aming hinaing na tutol kami sa phaseout ng mga jeepney. Napakabigat nito. Pero kung ang sinasabi ng gobyerno na modernization ay ipapaayos ang aming mga sasakyan, napakaganda,” said Emmanuel Cruz, president of the group.
“Kung aalisin ang aming hanapbuhay at bubuhayin ang dayuhan, masakit ito sa amin,” he added.
Cruz said they stopped operation dawn of Monday and will resume after an ecumenical service at the four-lane road in Balanga City at past 10 in the morning.
Fredelito Guanzon, chairman of the Balanga-Orani Transport Service Multi-Purpose Cooperative, said that many of his members are former overseas Filipino workers who ventured into buying passenger jeepneys.
“This is our only means of livelihood,” Guanzon said. “Titingnan namin at pag-aaralan ang sinasabing subsidy ng gobyerno pero tutol kami sa phaseout. Ito lang ang naipundar namin bilang OFW.”
Cruz and Guanzon said 600 passenger jeepneys participated in the transport strike.
Jobert Balana, chief of Balanga City Public Service Office, said the MBDA and the city government have fielded 45 vehicles to off er free ride to commuters as early as 4 a.m.
Senior Supt. Benjamin Silo, Jr., Bataan police director, directed his officers to see to it that the transport strike was orderly and peaceful.
