Piston pushing through with transport strike Monday
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:40:00 05/09/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The leftist transport group Piston (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide or United Organizations of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) is pushing through with a nationwide strike beginning 12:01 a.m. Monday, its national president announced Friday.
In a press conference, Steve Ranjo said the continued increase of oil prices and the government's incapacity to arrest the price hikes are both “anti-driver” and “anti-commuter.”
“Nasa P41.98 na ang halaga ng diesel at nasa P50 na ang gasolina. Ayon sa tatlong dambuhalang oil companies, mahigit P6 pa ang kanilang itataas na kanilang ipatutupad sa pamamagitan ng pagtataas ng piso per week. Kaya malamang na sa Mayo 10 ay muli na namang magpapatupad ng pisong pagtaas [Diesel is already P41.98 and gasoline is at P50. The big three oil companies say they will continue raising prices by more than P6 by increasing it at P1 a week. It is likely there will be another P1 hike by May 10],” Ranjo said.
Reacting to Piston’s announcement, lawyer Manny Mahipos of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said the agency respects the right of the transport groups to peaceful assembly.
However, he said, the groups “should balance their obligation to the riding public and their rights to public assembly.”
“We don't encourage the drivers to strike but we also respect their right,” Mahipos said.
He added that the LTFRB would not sanction drivers who participate in the strike.
Piston secretary general George San Mateo said there will be 12 key “rally centers” in Metro Manila: Alabang, Monumento, Novaliches Bayan, Cubao, Marikina, Taytay Market, Kalayaan Avenue corner Kamias, Welcome Rotonda, Philcoa, and Pier South.
Elsewhere in the country, Piston affiliates will also go on strike in Baguio City, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and the Bicol provinces in Luzon; Panay, Cebu and Negros Occidental in the Visayas; and Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and the cities of Iligan, Butuan and General Santos in Mindanao.
Transport groups in Negros have agreed to stage a two-day strike, from May 12 to 13.
Mahipos said they are coordinating with other government agencies on measures to help commuters during the transport strike.
Piston is demanding that the government scrap the 12% extended Value Added Tax (EVAT) on oil products, repeal the oil deregulation law, and arrest the continuous rise of oil prices.
“Hindi na kakayanin ng mga tsuper, operator, at mamamayan ang patuloy na pagtaas ng langis lalo na patuloy ang pagtaas ng bigas, bilihin, pandesal, kuryente, tubig, matrikula, at iba pa [Drivers, operators and citizens can no longer stand the continuing rise of oil prices, what with the increases in the prices of rice, bread, electricity, water, tuition, and other goods],” Ranjo said.
“The greediness of the big oil companies and the collusion of the corrupt Arroyo government is making out suffering unbearable,” he added.
But Mahipos said the LTFRB was doing everything it could to help the drivers, including adding another P2 to the government’s fuel subsidy for public transport drivers and the public utility vehicles (PUVs) modernization program.
Piston claims a membership of more than 200,00 jeepney drivers and operators nationwide.
Earlier this week, transport groups Pasang Masda and Mega Manila Operators and Drivers Alliance (MMODA) announced that they would not participate in the nationwide transport strike.
Despite this, Piston was confident that the transport strike would be successful.
“Sisikapin naming maabot ang pinakamalaking porsyento ng driver na lalahok sa tigil-pasada sa Lunes [We will try to convince the majority of drivers to join the transport strike on Monday],” San Mateo said.
Ranjo said Piston would not join the petition for a fare increase that other transport groups are pursuing because “this is not our priority. Our demand is that the weekly increase in oil prices stop.”
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