By Leslie Ann Aquino The workers' group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress (ALU-TUCP) sought the suspension of the banning of provincial buses along Edsa during rush hours, saying it is disadvantageous to working people. ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the implementation of the provincial bus rush hour ban is counterproductive, inconvenient, expensive, and stressful for thousands of workers. Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines
(MANILA BULLETIN) “We are calling for the temporary suspension of the scheme because this system proves to be more expensive, inconvenient and stressful for workers commuting to and from work,” he said in a statement. Tanjusay said initial observation from workers showed employees living in Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna spent P24 to P36 more out of their meager minimum wage on top of their usual transportation routine expenses. He said the provincial bus rush hour ban along Edsa also caused many employees to arrive late, causing salary and paid leave deductions. “We cannot disregard the additional amount of stress the ban causes to workers’ health on top of the already existing stress caused by the daily hassle caused by prevailing difficult and problematic mass transport system imposed upon workers. It also impacts the productivity of province-based Metro workers,” Tanjusay said. He said the move needs time and motion study. “It also needs more public consultations with workers involved. It also needs improvement of effective mass transport infrastructures because we are dealing with workers who need to be on time in their places of work,” said Tanjusay. The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started to ban August 15 the provincial buses plying Edsa from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to help reduce traffic congestion along Edsa.