Laguna, Cavite transport groups join national protest vs oil price hikes

SAN PEDRO, Laguna, Philippines—Transport caravans and protest actions were held simultaneously in parts of Laguna and Cavite on Thursday as militant groups joined a national protest against high prices of petroleum products.

In Laguna, a 100-jeep convoy left this town past noon Thursday for a caravan in the first and second district towns of Laguna province.

Another jeepney caravan was conducted between the towns of Sta. Cruz and Victoria while around 50 students from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños conducted a parallel protest against the high prices of basic commodities.

Leo “XL” Fuentes, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog   said the caravans would converge at Calamba City crossing at 4 p.m. Thursday for an indignation rally.

“From March 1 to 8, the price of diesel increased twice by 50 and 60 centavo per liter, while the cost of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) was already hitting P800 just during the first quarter of 2012,” said Fuentes.

The protesters opposed the 12-percent expanded value tax on oil products and called for the nationalization of the petroleum industry. They also opposed the high toll in the South Luzon Expressway following the 250-percent toll hike last year.

In Cavite, Emmanuel Asuncion, provincial secretary-general of Bayan, said close to 100 drivers plying the Baclaran-Imus route, participated in the caravan on Zapote flyover in Bacoor and in Barangay Tanzang-Luma in Imus without disrupting public transportation.

“The public was misinformed of a transport strike when in fact it was just a transport caravan. The government spread lies to create a negative impression against our drivers,” Asuncion said.