Protesters from the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) and the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) protested in front of the old Bacolod City Hall on Monday. Both groups later joined protests in Cebu City on Tuesday. (Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga photo)
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Members of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) and the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) took part in a protest rally against the government phase out of obsolete public utility vehicles (PUV) in Cebu City, yesterday.
According to UNDOC Secretary-General Diego Malacad, the phase out has already started and claimed the government has been unresponsive in their request to defer the process.
“If we surrender our almost 2,000 units of PUVs, commuters would be left without any means of public transportation,” he asserted.
Malacad said he is looking to local governments for rehabilitation for PUVs that are older than 15 years old.
Meanwhile, NFSW Chairman Rolando Rillo said they also joined the protest to demand a P50 wage increase and a 50 percent increase on leases for the land owned by sugarcane farmers.
They are also protesting the alleged harassment and killing of farmers over the said demands, one of which he claimed took place in Escalante City, Negros Occidental last year.
Rillo added, he is hoping the government will comply with their demands./DGB, WDJ