FREE RIDES. Bayaning Tsuper (BTS) party-list first nominee Aminola Abaton, Regional Federation of PWDs-Cebu president Joseph Jumantoc, LTO executive director Romeo Vera Cruz, and LTO-7 regional director Victor Emmanuel Caindec (from left to right) pose during the unveiling of a service vehicle commissioned by BTS to provide free rides to PWDs in Cebu City. The party-list advocates road safety governance and education. (Photo courtesy of LTO-7)
CEBU CITY – Days after filing their certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) for the May 2022 elections, Bayaning Tsuper (BTS) party-list nominees traveled here to hire a service vehicle dedicated to providing transport for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The party-list, which advocates road safety governance and education in the country, will represent the transportation sector workers in Congress.
Lawyer Aminola "Alex" Abaton, the first nominee for the BTS, said they are aiming for a seat in the House of Representatives to address road safety issues.
"In fact, we lack the infrastructure; we lack a concrete policy at that. So we believe that Bayaning Tsuper, if given a chance, can represent this kind of advocacy,” Abaton said in a statement on Thursday.
He said they also want to help the special sectors in the community such as the PWDs, which is why they are commissioning a service vehicle for them in Cebu.
The said vehicle will be used as PWDs' means of transportation for free. BTS will hire and compensate drivers who will service the vehicle.
For PWDs who want to avail of the free service, they can coordinate with their federation or organization to get a schedule.
Regional Federation of PWDs in Cebu president Joseph Jumantoc met with Abaton, who is a former regional director of the Land Transportation Office-Western Mindanao, to formalize the process of the commissioned service vehicle.
Abaton also met last Tuesday with the village chiefs of uphill barangays in Cebu City to discuss partnerships between them and BTS.
He said it is high time that the perennial problems in the country like road crash incidents be addressed.
BTS was first organized by advocates of road safety in June 2019. (PNA)
