COMMUTER GROUP BATS FOR PALACE INTERVENTION ON FARE, FUEL, AND FOOD HIKES

Skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, especially food, coupled with weekly fuel price hikes are already hurting the average Filipino, especially millions of commuters going to work daily. The transport worker is the most affected, on the verge of losing their jobs, and their measly incomes are insufficient to support a decent living not just in the metro but in rural areas. Malacanãng should already intervene fast, says a commuter group, Pasada.

The Pilipino Society and Development Advocates or PASADA, a commuter and transport workers group, is appealing to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Junior to grant the 2–3-peso fare hike petition of various transport groups. Likewise, in the same vein, Malacañang should already make interventions to arrest the spiraling prices by issuing an order to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to implement a Suggested Retail Price or SRP scheme strictly.

“The weekly fuel price increases, particularly diesel and LPG, are creating uncertainty in the daily lives of our commuters and transport workers. First, thousands of transport workers stand to lose their jobs if operators will go bankrupt and shut down. Second, prices of basic commodities are hurting the purses of everyone, especially commuters who work in the service and labor sectors. Malacañang must already intervene. The situation on the ground is getting extremely worse,” says Ricky Rivera, managing director of PASADA.

It will not hurt, says Rivera, if Malacanãng allocates a monthly fuel subsidy and temporarily suspend the fuel excise tax. Malacanãng can ensure a steady fuel supply by entering into bilateral fuel agreements with oil-producing countries such as Brunei or Saudi Arabia. These initiatives may lower oil prices.

PASADA is also appealing to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board or LTFRB to grant the appeal of transport groups for a 2–3-peso fare hike. Such an increase would allow more public utility vehicles on the road. However, says Pasada, such a hike would not be enough for transport workers if commodities’ prices continue to increase.

“The DTI must do its job correctly by monitoring daily and ensuring that manufacturers and traders follow a Suggested Retail Price (SRP) scheme. Those who will not follow must be charged before the courts. Malacanãng should use its iron fist to protect the welfare of the people,” Rivera adds.

–nothing follows–

Motorcycle Rider na nagviral, Binawian ng Lisenya

Agad na inatasan ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) Road Sector ang LTO na kilalanin at panagutin ang driver ng motorsiklo na nagviral kamailan. Sa isang video na in-upload ng mobility website na Visor sa social media, napag-alamang si Romeo M. Morales na sakay sakay ng Yamaha motorcycle na may plaka numero NG87047 ay muntik ng mabangga ang siklista na dumadaan sa bicycle lane sa Quezon City. Binalak ni Morales na mag-overtake na hindi alintana ang kaligtasan ng nasabing siklista, na nagresulta sa kanilang mainit na pagtatalo.

Binawian ng propesyonal na lisenya ang motorcycle rider na si Morales ng Land Transportation Office (LTO) dahil sa patong patong na paglabag sa road transport rules.

Naglabas ang LTO ng show cause order na nag-utos kay Morales na humarap sa Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) para sa pagdinig ng kaniyang kaso. Hindi naman itinanggi ni Morales ang kaniyang mga nagawa noong araw ng insidente.

Nahaharap sa patong patong na paglabag si Morales matapos mapatunayang administratibong pananagutan para sa walang ingat na pagmamaneho at pagharang sa trapiko sa ilalim ng Sec. 48 at Sec. 54 ng Republic Act 4136 o ang Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

Ipinag utos din sa LTO na bawiin ang lisensiya sa pagmamaneho ni Morales dahil sa pagiging “walang disiplina sa pagpapatakbo ng sasakyang de-motor” at alinsunod sa Section 27 ng Republic Act 4136.

Ang LTO ay nagpataw kay Morales ng kanya-kanyang multa sa halagang PHP2,000 at PHP1,000 para sa mga paglabag nito.

Inatasan din siya na agad na ilipat ang pagmamay-ari ng ginamit na motorsiklo sa ilalim ng kanyang pangalan sa loob ng 20 araw kapag natanggap ang nasabing resolusyon.

Bawal Gumamit ng Sirena o Wang-wang at “Blinkers”

Hindi pa rin pinapayagang gumamit ng sirena o wang-wang at blinker ang mga motorista sa buong bansa. Paliwanag ni PNP-HPG Director Police Brigadier General Rommel Francisco Marbil na malinaw sa batas na bawal ikabit ang blinker at sirena o wang-wang sa mga hindi awtorisadong sasakyan.

Hindi rin awtorisadong gumamit ng sirena o wang-wang at blinker ang mga naturang ahensya sa Ilalim ng Kagawaran ng Transportasyon (DOTr) tulad ng LTO, LTFRB at MMDA ayon kay Marbil, ngunit ang Land Transportation (LTO) at Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) gayundin ang MMDA ay pinapayagang gumamit neto sa panahon ng emergency tulad ng pagtugon sa kalamidad at iba pang operasyon tulad ng paglilinis ng kalsada.

Sa ilalim ng Presidential Decree No. 96 na nilagdaan ni dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr. tanging mga opisyal na sasakyan lamang ng AFP, PNP, NBI, BFP, at ambulasya ang maaaring gumamit ng sirena o wang-wang at blinker. Awtorisado rin ang mga sasakyan ng Presidente, Bise Presidente, Senate President, House Speaker at Chief Justice na gumamit nito.

Umaasa rin siya na pagtutuunan ng susunod na Kongreso and regulasyon sa bentahan at paggamit ng mga blinker at wang-wang dahil naabuso ang paggamit sa mga ito.

Pagmumultahin ng P5,000 at babawiin ang lisensya ang mga lalabag dito.

Hotel 101 Group with the Travel Sustainable badge

Booking.com recognized all the hotels under the Hotel 101 Group with the Travel Sustainable badge, highlighting the hotels sustainability practices. The recognition “aims to promote a more sustainable travel industry, so we can collectively preserve a world worth experiencing.”

Horizon Café TLC Plant-Based Burger is exclusively offered at Horizon Café at Hotel 101 – Manila for only Php420nett. Guests may enjoy beef-flavored and plant-based patty, loaded with protein, fiber and no preservatives. Patties are grilled for smokey and savory taste. Plant-based burger patty is placed nicely on sesame bund with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, locally sourced cheese, and drizzled with honey mustard dressing.

Hotel 101 Group installs Bike Parking, offers free coffee for cyclists every weekend to promote alternative means of transportation among its guests, patrons, and employees

Iboto ang 126 Pasada CC

Pasada Babes Going Viral!

Pasada Babes, the only commuter dance crew in the world, has released their first single entitled, ” Papa Pasada.” The all girl dance and song crew created this song to amplify their own experiences as commuters living in the Philippines.

This very unique group will hold their launching on February 1, 2022 in Manila.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF PASADA ON THE DOTR POLICY OF “NO VAX, NO RIDE” POLICY

For inquiries:

Ric Rivera

Founder and Spokesperson

PASADA CC Incorporated

09175395320

While a unilateral prevention of human mobility is an outright violation of human rights, nonetheless the government is mandated to protect public safety and welfare. Individual rights, while sacrosanct, must make way when the collective welfare is under threat. However, this order is bound to fail due to the continuing presence of vehicles being operated by collorum operators who do not subject their passengers to IATF health protocols. The Department of Transportation and Railways (DOTr) must address this ongoing problem first. 

We, at Pilipino Society And Development Advocates Commuter-Consumer (PASADA CC), find this recent policy of the Department of Transportation and Railways as a move motivated by this constitutional duty. 

The right to travel, while an individual and personal right, was not infringed. People are not prevented from going out of their houses. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade signed an order that require people to present their vaccination cards to ensure that only those vaxxed may join others who had their vaccinations already. This is one way of controlling the spread of the Covid-19 virus, as with regular monitoring and testing. 

We, however, urge the Duterte administration to jack up the vaccination campaign and ensure that vulnerable sectors are given more protection than other sectors. 

We also ask Secretary Tugade to immediately cause the arrests of collorum vehicle operators who not only victimize thousands of commuters but also do not exercise health protocols and allow unvaccinated persons to secure their rides. 

Allowing collorum bus and vans to ply their illicit wares to unknowing commuters will contribute toward a potentially dangerous situation, as these collorum operators allow vaxxed and unvaxxed packed tightly together in highly dangerous and unhygienic vehicles. This should stop now.

–nothing follows–

OFFICIAL PASADA STATEMENT ON IATF MEMO CIRCULAR DOTR

Arrest Collorum Vans Preying on Hapless Commuters

On behalf of the 5,000 plus strong members of the Pilipino Society and Development Advocates Commuter-Consumer Incorporated, a non-governmental organization for the pursuit of the welfare of the Filipino commuter and transport workers, I thank Department of Transportation Secretary Art Tugade and members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Infectious Diseases (IATF) for their swift action to our present-day maladies. 

Their official statement yesterday, January 4, 2021, proves that Secretary Tugade and members of the DOTr are highly cognizant and acutely aware of the present challenges being experienced by commuters nowadays.

With the raising of the status of Metro Manila and environs to alert level 3 due to the re-surgence of COVID-19, Pasada believes that additional buses must be deployed in various cities and provinces such as Baguio, San Fernando in Pampanga and La Union, Dagupan, Lingayen and Urdaneta in Pangasinan, Cagayan-Isabela and Nueva Ecija, as well as the Bicol region to fetch several hundreds of commuters still unable to secure their rides to Metro Manila. Without additional buses with franchises, our fellow Kababayans particularly Overseas Filipino Workers and balikbayans are falling prey to unscrupulous operators of collorum buses and vans, charging fares up to five to seven times more than the usual. This, sirs, has got to stop!

I would also like to appeal to our Honorable Secretary Tugade and members of the IATF to reconsider their decision for our commuters to use the NLEX bus terminal in Bocaue Bulacan. The additional fare of 56 pesos per passenger is a financial burden for most of our members, some of whom are still unemployed. 

Requiring commuters to cough out 100 pesos (back and forth) is inconsistent with the current policy announced by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte not to burden Filipinos with superfluous fares particularly at this time when everyone is suffering due to the economic recession. 

Likewise, our members from the transport sector are worried due to the unsteady financial situation of most bus firms. The operator of the NLEX bus terminal requires rent from every bus firm a humongous amount of 100,000 pesos as parking fee per bus on top of an entry fee of 400 pesos per bus unit. Such a financial requirement will hasten the bankruptcy of bus companies leading to a loss of employment not just from the worker’s ranks, but also to other industries and businesses connected with the transport sector. 

Pasada cannot allow such a situation to happen, particularly to this sector. Is government planning to give this sector to foreign transport operators from China? This is not anymore, a laughable issue—this transgresses our national security. Imagine a foreign country in control of our transportation? Transportation is a critical component of our national security and this cannot be compromised in the name of business or capital. 

I humbly ask Secretary Tugade and members of the IATF to reconsider their decision for the sake of the heavily burdened commuters and transport workers. Let us meet and work together for the unburdening of concerns by our commuters and transport workers. 

Iisang Pasada lamang po tayong mga Pilipino, Mr. Secretary. Sama-sama tayo sa Pasada. 

For Inquiries:

Ric Rivera

Founder/Spokesperson

Pilipino Society and Development Advocates Commuter Consumer Incorporated

PASADA Incorporated

Unit 204 Kamuning Place, 60 Kamuning Road QC Philippines

41-e Sct. Ybardolaza Street, QC Philippines, 1103

09175395320

International flights from Cebu to be diverted to NAIA

In a bid to check the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the Visayas, Malacañang on Thursday directed all concerned government agencies to divert all international flights from Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from May 29 to June 5.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued the memorandum based on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and in pursuit of the national interest in preventing the further spread of Covid-19 in the country.

During a pre-recorded Cabinet meeting, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they were closely monitoring the situation in Visayas and Mindanao, which have once again been flagged for the increasing number of Covid-19 cases.

“Visayas is showing a rise in cases with Region 6 having the fastest increase especially in Iloilo City. And also in Mindanao, Regions 9 and 10 recorded the biggest increase, while the cases in other regions are also rising,” he added in Filipino.

The memorandum issued by Medialdea states “All international flights bound for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport shall be diverted to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport effective 0001H of 29 May 2021 until 235H of 05 June 2021.”

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through its attached agencies, and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) are directed to ensure the smooth diversion of inbound flights.

The memo also urges concerned agencies to enforce the current testing and quarantine protocols approved and issued by IATF-EID applicable to inbound international travelers in all ports of entry, regardless of any specific protocols that may be issued by local government units (LGUs) to the contrary.

Heads of departments shall ensure that all offices and instrumentalities under or attached to their departments abide by this directive, while the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall enforce compliance with respect to LGUs.

PUV drivers get P461 million from LTFRB’s service contracting scheme

Public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers have received a total of P461.8 million from the Service Contracting Program (SCP) of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the LTFRB said the amount includes the P4,000 initial payout to all drivers who joined the program, their weekly payout, and their on-time incentive.

“12,371 drivers have received their initial payout and 2,933 drivers have received their P25,000 onboarding incentive in the entire country,” it said in Filipino.

The LTFRB said PUV drivers who joined the program in 2020 until April 30 this year got P25,000 on-time incentive, while those who joined from May 1 until June 15 will receive P20,000.

“In addition, PUV drivers under the program may receive an additional P7,000 if they login with the Systems app for five days in a week,” it said. 

The LTFRB reminded PUV drivers to always log in when working to receive their additional weekly payout.

For drivers or operators currently operating, it said they may join the SCP by visiting www.servicecontracting.ph and visit the LTFRB’s social media and website for more information.