By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) said they will stage a transport strike on June 5 in time for the opening of the new school year.
UNDOC Secretary-general Diego Malacad said they are joining the nationwide protest against the phase out of Public Utility Vehicles (PUV).
The government measure mandates the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to phase-out all PUVs older than 15 years old as part of the modernization plans of the government.
In preparation for the strike, Malacad said they will hold a protest rally today to raise public awareness on their mass action. “This rally today is a sort of information dissemination about our planned transport strike,” he said.
He also stated the original plan of the transport sector is to hold a one week transport strike starting June 5, but it was agreed that it will only last for two days.
Malacad stressed they are not ready for modernization and the government has not presented any alternatives.
“We are surprised that the LTFRB will implement this already on June 5. What will be the commuters’ means of transportation then?” he questioned.
He said if the government pushes through with the plan, they will only please the operators having huge capitalization from P5 million to P6 million.
Malacad further said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has already issued a statement that his government would not push through with the phase out. The transport leader added his group was surprised that concerned government agencies like the Land Transportation Office (LTO), LTFRB, and DOTr have issued contradicting statements about the plan./WDJ