ANGELES City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said five buses are on standby for the city hall workers and the public in case the “Tigil Pasada” nationwide transport strike pushes through beginning Monday, November 20.

Mayor Lazatin said the five buses will be on standby even if officers of the Pangkalahatang Samahan ng mga Drayber sa Angeles City (Pasada), the main transport group in Angeles City, said they will not join the transport strike.

The mayor added five Philippine Rabbit buses will be deployed in strategic areas in Angeles City to ferry the riding public for free in case of a transport strike.

The free ride will begin from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight in the boundaries of Cutud-Sapang Maisac, Balibago-Dau, Cutcut-Porac, Sto. Domingo-San Fernando and Mining-Malino.

Transport groups led by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), have announced they will stage a nationwide strike to protest the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program which they said will affect the livelihood of PUV drivers.

The mayor encouraged City Hall employees to “practice carpooling” in anticipation of the nationwide strike.