Gov’t workers back transport goups on looming protest vs oil prices hikes

MANILA, Philippines — Government workers have expressed their support for the forthcoming transport strike over the unabated oil price increases.

IN SUPPORT OF TRANSPORT STRIKE. Members of the government workers' group Courage is supporting Piston's transport strike Monday. The group will also stage protests in several parts of Metro Manila, simultaneous with the protest. KAREN BONCOCAN/INQUIRER.net

In a press conference in Quezon City on Friday, the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) said that they would stage protests, simultaneous with the transport strike, in front of the National Housing Authority, as well as the Araneta Square, Monumento, and LRT Quirino Station.

“Rank-and-file government employees will take part” in the protests, Courage national president Ferdinand Gaite said.

He expressed dismay over what he called as the “administration’s attempts to pacify drivers and people to reducing the issue to mere kotong cops and extortion” and said that the dialogue between President Benigno Aquino III and the transport sector’s leaders yielded “nothing substantial” for both drivers and commuters.

The group challenged Aquino to solve the issues on oil pricing such as the scrapping of the oil deregulation law, the monopoly in oil pricing of the Big 3 oil firms, as well as the Value Added Tax on oil.