IN ORDER not to hamper government services as transport sectors will stage a two-day strike on March 21 to 22, preparations are now undertaken in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said that by practice the city government provides service vehicles for those employees who may be stranded.
But, he said, the statement of the transport groups regarding the strike may change in the coming days.
"We can't preempt their decision but we are prepared," he assured.
With the looming strike, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will meet with heads of various departments at the provincial capitol and encourage them to do carpooling for the employees.
Officials of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc), Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (Sstone) and Federation of Bacolod Drivers Association (Febacda), in a press conference at the Negros Press Club Building in Bacolod City yesterday, March 14, stressed that it is already “all systems go” for their planned strike.
The strike dubbed as "People's Holiday" is aimed at expressing discontent over the continued increases in oil prices and to call for the deferment of the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) on fuels.
Meanwhile, Lacson also said that the bidding for fuel supply for the province was recently held using the old price, which is lower compared to the current one.
The governor said he is yet to discuss the situation with the suppliers.
He also said that the four-day workweek will remain at the Capitol amid the rising prices of petroleum products.
The provincial government employees were supposed to adopt the five-day workweek following the decrease in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Negros Occidental but it was temporarily called off.
For Bacolod, city employees will continue adopting the skeletal workforce scheme, Familiaran said.
Moreover, oil companies are expected to impose the highest increases in fuel prices in history today, March 15, 2022, prompting several transport operators in the country to consider staging a transport strike.
Russ Mark Gamallo, field director of the Department of Energy (DOE) - Visayas, said oil firms are expected to raise prices by around P6.20 per liter for gasoline, P11 per liter for diesel and P9 per liter for kerosene.
“So far, possible [the biggest increase ever since],” Gamallo said.
The field director also noted that this is the 11th consecutive week of increase in oil prices recorded this year.
He reiterated that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is just one of the reasons for the increase in oil prices, citing the country’s long standing problem in procuring supplies due to the sanctions imposed by the United States against oil producers including Venezuela.
Despite this, Gamallo assured the public that the country, particularly the Visayas, has more than enough supply of fuels based on its constant inventory with the oil companies. [With reports from SunStar Cebu]