Bacolod City Hall (from the Bacolod City website)
Due to the nationwide transport strike, some business establishments in Bacolod City and neighboring localities were forced to adjust the work schedules of their employees on Monday.
Business establishments have to make necessary adjustments to cope with the effects of transportation strike while they continue giving service to their customers, according to Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI).
He also added that workers of MBCCI were allowed to arrive late, or report to duty early, and to be flexible.
“We practice ‘flexitime’ so they can work in more or less than the required number of hours,” Carbon said.
In this case, he noted that regulations are suspended to address the need, but always in favor of the workers.
Furthermore, shopping malls in the city continued their business operations at designated opening hours.
The groups who participated in the nationwide transport strike from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. are transport groups Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros Inc., Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Associations Inc. and United Negros Drivers and Operators Center.
By noontime, the transport strike had paralyzed public transportation in the city’s major routes by 99 percent.
Classes in all levels were suspended due to the strike, but the city government still provided free service vehicles for the public, including those who have businesses at the Bacolod City Government Center and the Old City Hall.
At the provincial capitol and other places, city vehicles were used to transport government employees with no personal vehicles to their respective offices.
Bago and Talisay and Murcia town also suspended their classes on Monday while local government offices continued their operation. (RJ Espartinez)