MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) activated its Emergency Operations Center and pre-positioned rescue and free ride vehicles for the transport strike set on Thursday and Friday.
Transport group MANIBELA on Wednesday also released the areas where they would hikd their strikes for March 26.
In a Viber message, the MMDA said the Emergency Operations Center had been activated at its Communications and Command Center as part of its preparations for the strike.
The agency said rescue vehicles and "libreng sakay" (free ride) units were pre-positioned in coordination with Metro Manila local government units for commuters who may be affected.
It added that a single dispatch system would be implemented so government vehicles would not compete with drivers who continue to operate and were not joining the strike.
Under the setup, the MMDA said once an LGU has dispatched rescue or free ride vehicles to an area, the agency will no longer send another unit there.
MANIBELA Chairman Mar Valbuena said he would be at Philcoa by 6 a.m.
Valbuena said the strikes would be centered at:
* Philcoa
* Shell Gulod, Novaliches
* Monumento
* Puregold J.R. Gatchalian, Parañaque
* Starmall Alabang
* Nagtahan
* Shell Zapote, Las Piñas
* Pasig public market
* Marcos Highway, Sta. Lucia, Marikina
* Pedro Gil-Agoncillo
* Malaya-Tanay
* Balibago Highway, Sta. Rosa
* Olivarez Highway, Central Mall
* Tunasan Highway, RMT
* Iligan City Plaza, Lanao del Norte
* Bacolod Public Plaza
* Tacloban City
* Ormoc City
* Tagbak, Ungka Terminal, Christ the King, UP Flyover, and Iloilo City Provincial Capitol
* Dasmariñas, Cavite area
He added that the whole of Laguna would join the protest, although the list of strike centers has yet to be finalized.
The two-day transport strike was announced by PISTON and MANIBELA, with PISTON saying the protest would draw participation from jeepney and bus operators, UV Express, TNVS drivers, motorcycle taxis and other transport sectors.
