Metro Manila mayors comprising the Metro Manila Council (MMC) will deploy all available vehicles at their disposal to provide commuters in the National Capital Region (NCR) with free rides during the planned seven-day strike by members of some transportation groups starting on March 6. In a meeting held on Thursday, March 2 at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) head office in Pasig City led by MMC President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, it was agreed that all local government units will start an inventory of all vehicles that can be deployed to ferry commuters during the strike. Artes said that the largest transport groups called the Magnificent 7 as well as other transport networks have pledged that they will not join the transport strike. Policemen from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will be deployed to ensure the safety of the commuters and drivers who will not participate in the week-long strike. "Sa instructions na din ni Secretary (Benhur) Abalos at sa pakikipagunayan natin sa NCRPO kanina, nagsabi tayo na kailangan proteksyonan yung mga bibyahe, yung mga hindi makikilahok dito sa nationwide strike. Kailangan po silang proteksyonan ng ating kapulisan at ganun din po nagsabi din po ang mga local government units para hindi sila perwisyohin nung mga magwewelga na trasport groups (With the instructions of Secretary Abalos and with our coordination with the NCRPO earlier, we stressed the need to protect and ensure the safety of those who will not join the nationwide strike. The police and the LGUs need to protect these drivers for them not be pestered by those protesting transport groups)," Artes said. For the city of San Juan, Zamora said they will provide free rides to commuters. "Kung kinakailangan, yung mga tricycles po natin na may kanya kanyang ruta sa ngayon, we can suspend their usual routes upang masakyan ng ating mga mamamayan (If needed, we can suspend the regular routes of our tricycles for the commuters to be able to ride them)," Zamora said. The MMC said the LGUs will not limit the deployment of their vehicles in their localities but will also work together to augment other cities when the need arises. "Sa ngayon we will play it by ear, mararamdaman naman natin kung matutuloy ba or hindi at kung gaano kalaki ang magiging epekto nito. Ngunit gaya nga ng binanggit ko, the MMDA can suspend number coding and kami naman po we can decide to suspend school or classes kung kinakailangan (For now we will play it by ear. We will know if the strike will push through or not as well as how large is its effect to the public will be. However, just like what I said earlier, the MMDA can suspend number coding and us LGUs can decide to suspend classes if needed)," Zamora explained. "Yun naman po ay within the power of the LGU sapagkat kailangan nating pangalagaan ang general welfare ng ating mga mamamayan. Of course one big factor in this is we have to enure the security of everyone dahil pag ganyang may mga tigil-pasada, hindi natin alam kung ano mga posibleng mangyare, so yung ating kapulisan ay mahalaga kaya nga po napakalaking bagay na ang Philippine National Police (PNP) at ang Philippine Army ay involved din ho dito upang siguraduhin na maging payapa at tahimik ang anumang tigil pasada (That is well within the power of the LGU because we have to protect the general welfare of our citizens. Of course, one big factor in this is we have to ensure the security of everyone because with these transport strikes, we have no idea what could happen, which then highlights the importance of the police. That's the reason why the PNP and Philippine Army's involvement in this situation is important)," the mayor stressed. According to Manibela Chairman Mar Valbuena, over 100,000 PUVs in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, and Cagayan De Oro are expected to participate in the week-long strike. On Feb. 28, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said that a contingency plan is already in place in case the transport groups push through with the strike. “Alam mo ang contingency plan natin dito marami na din dito sa Manila marami na modernized jeepneys, marami na rin cooperatives nag-comply sa requirement (You know our contingency plan is we already have many modernized jeepneys in Manila, there are many cooperatives that are able to comply with the requirement),” Bautista said. Aside from the existing modern jeepneys, Bautista said the government will field vehicles to help the affected commuters. “Meron din kaming with arrangement with other sectors for example Coast Guard, may available na sasakyan from other government agencies, MMDA. Marami naman magsu-support sa atin (We have an arrangement with other sectors for example Coast Guard, there are available vehicles from other agencies, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Many will actually support us),” he said.