Friday, March 28, 2008 PUVs mull fare hike, protest vs oil price By Karl Ombion
VARIOUS transport groups in Bacolod and the province are mulling in staging bigger strikes and other forms of protest should the government fail to make decisive moves in halting the almost unstoppable hike in the prices of gasoline and other fuel products.
This as the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc) Secretary General Jesse Ortega slammed anew the recent four hikes in the prices of gasoline and other fuel products.
"This is too much, this is crazy, not only for us in the transport sector but even more for our community and public, and the government must do something to halt this or we will be forced to stage bigger and even more paralyzing transport strikes," Ortega said.
For four straight weeks, big oil companies in the country have hiked the pump prices of oil and other petroleum products for a minimum of 50 centavos per week, or a total of P2 for the month of February.
Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corporation, Caltex and Chevron Philippines justified their hikes by citing sharp adjustments in the world oil prices.
Ortega said the oil price increase last Saturday was the seventh since the start of this year and blamed this to the government's oil deregulation law.
"We reiterate our stand that unless the government cut its subservience to the oil cartel by scraping its oppressive and exploitative oil deregulation law, there will be no end to oil price hikes, and consequently to the miseries of the transport sector and the general public," he stressed.
"The oil deregulation law is the mother of all oppression by the oil cartel in cahoots with our government officials who also rake in money from the cartel," he added.
Ortega said the oil price hikes further aggravated their woes, foremost of which is the alleged oppressive apprehension campaign by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office "driven by monetary incentives caused by the government's Lateral Attrition Law."
Ortega said they have started holding consultations among their affiliates and allied organizations concerning their plan to stage a bigger strike, including their proposal for a possible new fare hike.
"As soon as we get the consensus, we will raise this to our national organization for appropriate action; we have been informed though that the national center is also open to a nationally coordinated strike, and a new fare hike proposal," Ortega said.
"We are not sure yet when this will be, but it is likely, given the gravity of the problem," Ortega ended.
