Youth, labor groups oppose fresh round of big-time oil price hike

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MANILA, Philippines — Various youth and labor unions on Tuesday protested against another hefty oil price hike, stressing its adverse impact beyond the transport sector.

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), League of Filipino Students, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), and Kadamay joined forces in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board office in Diliman, Quezon City to decry the recent surge in the prices of petroleum products.

“Ang epekto ng anumang pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo ay may domino effect sa lahat ng sektor at sa ekonomiya ng ating bansa,” KMU Secretary-General Jerome Adonis said. “Ang ibig sabihin po nito ay panibagong pasanin [at] panibagong pahirap hindi lamang sa mga tsuper kundi panibagong pahirap sa buong mamamayang Pilipino.”

(Any increase in the prices of petroleum products has a domino effect on all sectors, as well as on the country’s economy. This means another burden and another challenge not just for our drivers, but also for the Filipino people.)

Adonis also noted that a spike in oil prices will further reduce the daily wage of public transport drivers, causing their families and dependents to suffer as well.

Piston national president Mody Floranda, likewise, amplified the call for a rollback on oil prices and a temporary suspension of fuel excise taxes.

“Hindi lamang sa buwis ng produktong petrolyo ang pinagkukunan ng budget ng ating pamahalaan. Maraming mga dambuhalang negosyante ang hindi nagbabayad sa ating gobyerno,” he pointed out.

(Taxes on petroleum products are not the government’s only source of budget. Many business giants don’t pay our government.)

Several petroleum firms like Chevron Philippines Inc., Flying V, Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Seaoil Philippines Inc. on Monday announced another round of pump price hikes: gasoline has increased by P2.70 per liter, diesel by P6.55, and kerosene by P5.45.

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JPV