Amid the nationwide transport strike on Monday, Public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in the province of Antique operated on a normal basis
Amid the nationwide transport strike on Monday, public utility jeepney (PUJs) operators and drivers in the province of Antique operated on a normal basis.
The United Belison Jeepney Operators and Drivers’ Association of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique waited for instructions from their leaders but did not receive any from the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) regional chapter of which their local organization is a member, as stated by association president Oscar Legaspi.
“We had been waiting if we will join in the nationwide strike but there is no instruction for us to do so until noontime Monday,” he further explained. 20 members from their group continued to roam the streets and transport commuters since there was no formal announcement from their leaders.
Furthermore, various local associations of jeepney operators and drivers decided not to join the strike taking into consideration their existing leadership issues in their provincial organizations, according to Jose Armamento of the San Jose-Sibalom Public Utility Vehicle Operators and Drivers Association.
“We also learned that there are some members of the Federation of Iloilo Jeepney Operators and Drivers’ Association in Iloilo City that did not join so we decided not to also join in the strike,” he said.
Antique Provincial Police Office Deputy Director Norby Escobar confirmed from their monitoring that majorities of the PUJs in Antique did not join the nationwide transport strike.
“Antique is still peaceful with the PUJs traveling the streets,” he said. (RJ Espartinez)