Iloilo Gov’t to Offer Free Ride to Cushion Transport Strike Impact

The Iloilo provincial government will mobilize its vehicles to offer free rides to stranded commuters who may be affected by the nationwide transport strike on Monday.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said the transport vehicles will cater to all commuters and will not only be limited to Iloilo provincial government employees.

"We will deploy our trucks and vehicles to help our commuters. We are all set," Defensor said shortly after the coordination meeting with concerned department heads and national government agencies.

He said a total of 24 light vehicles and seven trucks will be stationed in the terminals of Tagbak, Ungka, and Mohon.

Defensor also clarified that there will be no suspension of classes and the provincial government will observe "business as usual."

"Circumstances of the province are different from that of the city. I called the municipal mayors and they said that their mode of transport is not affected," he said, adding that students from towns who study in this city do not have a problem as the Iloilo City government has suspended classes on Monday.

Meanwhile, he said employees who will report late may not use the bundy clock to log in while others who will be absent can maximize their leave credits.

He assured that the provincial government keeps its communication lines open with concerned agencies like the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for quick response to any emergency.

Supt. Lester Kenneth Gimotea, Iloilo provincial fire marshall, said the BFP is on heightened alert.

"We anticipate anything and everything that will happen, so if ever there will be need from agencies, we will be able to deploy," he said in an interview.

He said the BFP in the province has 78 fire trucks ready to respond in case the strike organizers will harm those jeepney drivers who will continue to ply their routes.