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By Nora O. Gamolo, Senior Desk Editor and Ruben
D. Manahan 4TH and James Konstantin Galvez, Reporters
Transport groups led by the 200,000-member
Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON)
and the 35-organization Oil Transport Forum will definitely push
through with their nationally coordinated transport strike on Monday
to push for a stop to oil price increases.
The militant transport groups are also pushing
for the scrapping of the 12 percent expanded value added tax on oil
products “to give economic relief” and the repeal of the Oil
Deregulation Law that allows an increase in oil prices below P1
without the benefit of a public hearing.
George San Mateo, PISTON secretary-general,
clarified that his group is not calling for a fare hike, but relief
in the form of a stop to oil price increases, and changes in the law
concerning the E-vat and oil price increases.
“We are pushing through with the transport
strike because we believe that oil price increases can be stopped by
our militant action,” said San Mateo. He cited that when they
pushed through with their transport strike in early December, the
hike in oil prices were held in abeyance from December 8, 2007 until
March 3 this year.
After March 3, oil price increases happened at
least once a week, except for one week, within the period observed,
said San Mateo, prompting them to declare a transport strike.
San Mateo said the strike will officially start
at 12:01 am by visiting terminals and persuading fellow transport
workers to join the strike. Expected to join the strike are drivers
in Cubao, Quiapo, Pier, Taft, Pasay, Proj.2-3 and Alabang, among
others.
He assured no violence will come from his group.
“As a matter of principle, ang Piston hindi gumagamit ng ganitong
force. Ang ginagamit natin, persuasion. Hinihikayat natin sila based
sa merits ng problema (As a matter of principle, Piston does not use
force. We use persuasion. We convince our fellow drivers based on
the merits of the issue),” San Mateo said in a radio interview.
As their long-range call, the transport sector
militants are asking the government to adopt an Oil Buffer Fund to
serve as a support price mechanism to enable Petron, a
government-owned and controlled corporation, to compete with oil
transnational corporations Shell and Caltex with lower prices even
with a worldwide oil price hike.
The Oil Buffer Fund can be generated from
government savings on the centralized procurement of oil products
and from a legislated increase of oil tariffs (now pegged at 1
percent), said San Mateo.
To keep the prices of oil products low, Piston
is also proposing that the government studies the possibility of
using barter mechanisms to conserve precious foreign exchange while
procuring needed oil products. Other products like agricultural
produce can be used as barter mechanisms to procure oil.
Another transport group, Federation of Jeepney
Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) head
by Zenaida Maranan said that other transport groups might initiate a
“bigger” transport strike later if they are denied a fare hike,
saying they are just following the procedures for their petition for
a fare hike.
Maranan said they will push for a fare hike
during a hearing on Monday. While Fejodap cannot support Piston’s
strike on Monday, it assures the militants of its “sympathy.”
She said that if the fare hike petition is
rejected, Fejodap will “discuss” a possible transport strike
with other groups like 1-Utak and taxi operators.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson
Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome advised commuters to keep their cool
on the eve of PISTON’s transport strike and reminded strikers to
respect other drivers’ rights to continue plying their routes.
Meanwhile, the government is also readying
alternative transport for those who choose to go to work.
Metro Manila police chief Director Geary Barias
said his command will go on full alert starting 8 p.m. Sunday and
Metro Manila police will deploy at least 2,000 of its personnel to
key areas in the metropolis. He stressed the PNP does not need
additional forces from Southern and Central Luzon.
Barias also said police will be deployed
particularly to key areas including Cubao and Mabuhay Rotonda in
Quezon City; Marikina City; Aduana in Manila; Taft Avenue and Pasay
City; and the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela areas where PISTON
is strong.
Barias, however, said they do not expect the
strike to paralyze Metro Manila, saying the last time Piston led a
strike last year, they paralyzed “only 30 percent” of transport
operations.
“Di nila masyado na paralyze ang Metro Manila,
mga 30 percent lang. Nariyan ang malalaking grupo, nariyan ang
taxi,” he said.
Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman
Bayani Fernando advised commuters to keep their cool if they are
forced to walk, saying walking would be good for their health. They
can also form car pools.
Fernando said the strike will likely hit those
going home from work as drivers are still likely to ply their trades
early in the morning.
The Manila Police District will give free rides
for stranded commuters in lieu of the transport strike. MPD District
Director Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales has directed all 12 Station
Commanders to ready their multi-cabs that will be used as transport
service by the commuters in Manila.
Rosales also said that he had also communicated
with barangay leaders to also give aid to anyone who will be stuck
on the nationwide transport strike.
MPD-Station 11 Commander Supt. Nelson Yabut, (Binondo)
said the multi-cabs would be placed where there are many commuters
waiting for public utility transports. The multi-cabs will be
roaming around Manila at around 6:00 AM.
Anyone caught forcing fellow drivers to join the
protest rally will be arrested, said Rosales, adding that police
will be dispersed around the area to monitor the whole Manila
vicinity, especially the rally points.
According to Rosales, MPD’s Global Positioning
System (GPS) is placed on their mobile cars, which makes it easier
for them to monitor the whole Manila area.
Meanwhile, PISTON Secretary General George San
Mateo said the group’s members use persuasion and not force in
urging drivers to join them.
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