Transport strike set on March 19

MANILA, March 17 ------ Transport group PISTON and progressive alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) announced a nationwide protest and transport strike beginning March 19, as drivers and operators called for government action on soaring fuel prices.

In a press conference held at Welcome Rotonda, the groups said that drivers, operators, and commuters would launch coordinated protests on Thursday, not only in Metro Manila but across the country. Their key demands included the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes on fuel, as well as the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law.

The group also called for a rollback of fuel prices to P55 per liter, which they said reflected a more reasonable level compared to current prices. In addition, PISTON is planning to file a petition for a P5 fare increase. "Sa bahagi po ng PISTON, halos nasa 100,000 tayo sa buong bansa. Ang March 19 po ay umpisa pa lamang ng welga at magtutuloy-tuloy ito hanggat di ibinibigay ng administrasyon itong panawagan natin. Magkakaroon po ng serye ng ibat iba pang protesta," said Piston President Mody Floranda.

Floranda said the protest was expected to draw participation from drivers and operators nationwide, including those from modernized transport cooperatives. "Marami po ang nagpapaabot satin ito po yung mga grupo ng bus, yung mga driver at konduktor na handang lumahok at mga kooperatiba at corporation sila po ay lalahok," he said. He added that the continuing increase in fuel prices had severely affected the livelihood of public transport drivers and said that diesel prices could reach as high as P120 per liter, worsening the financial burden on drivers. "Kung kami ang nagko-consume ng 30 liters per day, ang direct na mawawala pong kita ay halos aabot ng P3,600 kada araw napupunta na lamang sa krudo, sa mga malalaking kumanya ng langis," Floranda said. "Kahit magbigay ng P5,000 na ayuda o subsidy sa ating mga driver o operator, ito ay mumu na lamang. P5,000 saan aabot? Halos kulang pa ng 2 days na pangkrudo sa aming sasakyan," he added.

BAYAN said the planned mobilization would not be limited to a transport strike. "Ang mangyayari sa March 19, di lang po tigil-pasada, malawakang noise barrage sa mga communities, walk out sa mga eskwelahan, walkout sa mga pagawaan, protesta sa lansangan kailangan umabot sa pamahalaan," said Mong Palatino, secretary general of BAYAN.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com