By Tara Yap

The two-day transportation strike on June 5-6 on Panay Island should be non-violent, Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. of Iloilo province appealed to groups backed by the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston-Panay).
In a meeting, Defensor said he does not want a repeat of what happened during the February transportation strike, which saw several jeepney drivers who joined the transportation strike in the city and province of Iloilo harassing drivers who did not join the strike.
Piston-Panay President Edgar Salarda assured it will be a peaceful exercise for an estimated 12,000 jeepney drivers in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo provinces.
Rojo Paguntalan, president of the Confederation of Iloilo Provincial Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (CIPJODA), disclosed that he met with member-drivers and appealed to them to avoid violence.
Meanwhile, both the provincial and city governments of Iloilo have contingency plans in place.
Defensor has ordered all vehicles owned by the provincial government to provide free transportation.
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said that at least 60 vehicles will also provide free transportation./WDJ