|
Transport groups to hold strike; govt ready
(The Manila Times Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 12--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.
To see more of The Manila Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.manilatimes.net.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Manila Times, Philippines
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO West, September 16-18, 2008. Los Angeles, California.
