Bukidnon SP to RTMI: cut drivers’ work hours, other measures

MALAYBALAY CITY (Bukidnon News/03 November)— After its public hearings on vehicular accidents involving buses, the Bukidnon Sangguniang Panlalawigan required measures and practices to the Rural Transit of Mindanao Inc. and other bus companies plying the province.

Bukidnon bans ‘texting while driving’

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/25 September) The
Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bukidnon has approved an ordinance
prohibiting ‘text messaging’ while driving.

The SP recently passed ordinance no. 2011-036R known as “Text at your
own risk while driving ordinance of 2011.”

Provincial board members unanimously approved the motion of first
district board member Jay Albarece. Nemesio Beltran Jr., second
district board member introduced the ordinance.

The ordinance prohibited any motorist driving a vehicle in any street,
road or thoroughfare within the territorial boundaries of the province
of Bukidnon from text messaging and making or receiving calls while
driving.

Board member seeks suspension of RTMI operations in Bukidnon

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/21 Sept.)Bukidnon Provincial
Board member Clive Quiño urged the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to call on
the suspension of operations in Bukidnon of the Rural Transit of
Mindanao, Inc. over alleged abuses of its drivers along Bukidnon
highways.

In a privilege speech at the regular session last Wednesday, a copy of
which was obtained by Bukidnon News recently, Quiño has asked that the
provincial government act on the alleged abuses.

Malaybalay, Valencia transport groups set to join Monday strike – STAREX

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/19 Sept.) Bukidnon will be part of the national transport strike Monday to show discontent over President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s inaction to address the unabated surge of oil price increases, with operators and drivers associations working with the Solidarity of Transport Alliance in Region X
(STAREX), holding protests in two cities, organizers said.

Timothy Ajoc of the Bukidnon chapter of STAREX a local affiliate of PISTON (Pinagkaisang
Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide) said the strike seeks to paralyze transport from 6 to 3p.m. in Bukidnon.

In Malaybalay, 23 of 29 road deaths due to motorcycle accidents

MALAYBALAY CITY—  Twenty-three out of 29 people who died of vehicular accidents in Malaybalay City from January to July this year are attributed to motorcycle driving, according to records from the Traffic Management Center (TMC) of Malaybalay City.

This number is more than double the number of eleven deaths for the same period last year, as shown by TMC’s Summary Reports of Apprehended Traffic Violations and Accidents.

This showed that motorcycle accident deaths account for about 80 percent of the total fatalities of 29 people from vehicular accidents this year, making motorcycle accidents the deadliest in Malaybalay roads.

Bukidnon transport groups join nation-wide strike

MALAYBALAY CITY – Bukidnon transport groups also joined the coordinated transport strike Thursday with barricades in Malaybalay and Valencia cities.

The Solidarity of Transport Alliances in Region X (STAREX)/Piston staged ‘Tigil Pasada’ or transport strike in both cities Thursday morning.

But it managed only to paralyze transportation from 7 to 9 a.m. in Valencia City, where close to 300 persons, including motor cab drivers joined a barricade at the junction in downtown Valencia City. Traffic was stopped but it returned to normal two hours later when motorcab drivers dispersed.

Pacifico Estore Jr of UMBN Radyo Ukay Valencia reported that motorcab drivers, who were demanding approval of the city government for a P1 increase in fare, were a big force in the crowd. A city official spoke to the drivers that the ordinance for the increase is already at the City Council.

Members of the OGYON laborers’ group and the Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus Association in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon also joined the barricade.

Rolando “Bodex” Garcia, federation president of Piston/STAREX Bukidnon appealed for public support of the strike on Radyo Ukay. The group has demanded for rollback of petroleum prices and the repeal of the oil deregulation law.

“We must also show our protest in the local scene, it’s not enough (to hold transport strike) only in Manila,” he said.

In Malaybalay City, there was a barricade in between 7 to 8a.m. along the highway near the public market but DXMB radio reported it was called off.

In the morning, the groups Bayan Muna and Gabriela staged a march along Fortich Street and a rally at the Plaza Rizal until close to noon.

Some motor cab  drivers told this reporter many of them were hesitant to join because of graduation rites in most of the schools in the two cities, including the Bukidnon State University on March 31. (Walter I. Balane)