Sunday, July 13, 2008
Vidal advises against Sulpicio takeover
CEBU Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is against a proposed government takeover of Sulpicio Lines, which was suggested following the sinking of mv Princess of the Stars last June 21.
He said the government should instead help the company reform and provide better services to the people.
“I am not in favor because, in the first place, with all due respect to our government, it (company) is not theirs to take over. The shipping industry in Visayas and Mindanao, 40 percent of it is served by Sulpicio Lines, and it will affect our economy if (its operation is) stopped without any reason at all,” he said.
“I would advise that the government help Sulpicio Lines reform…and see to it that the safety of passengers would always be top priority for them,” he added.
Cardinal Vidal said the church is praying for the victims. It has also helped the families and relatives through special collections during masses and the use of different parishes as drop-in centers for all forms of aid
Efforts are still ongoing to identify the over 200 recovered bodies of victims, which were brought to Cebu City, and to re-float the vessel, believed to have over 500 bodies trapped inside.
Relief
Also, the Cebu archbishop said that if possible, the government should do something about the soaring prices of oil, which has caused fares and prices of commodities to increase.
But he admitted that market forces are dictating the situation.
“I’m sorry (for the people) for that, but how do you control the world price of oil? But it is up to the government to do something about it. If there is a possibility for the government to do something, well and good for us,” he said.
Transport groups have demanded for the government to repeal the Downstream Oil Regulation Act, and have threatened to stage a massive nationwide strike soon.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently increased to P8 for the first five kilometers the minimum fare in Central Visayas, starting tomorrow.
Drivers, though, may charge the new rate only if they display in their units the new fare matrices the LTFRB is handing out starting today. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 13, 2008 issue)
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