Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) announced its support to the nationwide strikes against oil price hikes to be held by jeepney drivers starting Thursday, March 19.
In a statement, Bayan said the strike is a legitimate and necessary action as drivers and transport operators are the first to be directly affected by rising oil prices brought about by US and Israel’s war against Iran.
“Consider that the sector has been appealing for an adjustment in transport fares given the continuous rise in fuel prices. It is unjust that the government wants the transport sector to absorb unconscionable oil price hikes while giant oil companies simply pass on higher costs to consumers, even gaining higher profits from speculation or price gouging,” the group said.
“We support the strike in solidarity with the transport sector, but also because the oil price hikes gravely affect the local economy and aggravate the suffering of working people and their families,” it added.
The group pointed out that soaring oil prices lead to higher inflation as wages remain depressed amid the worsening cost of living crisis.
The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) declared a series of nationwide strikes to protest “unchecked profiteering” by oil companies last Monday.
Piston said they have no choice but to stop plying their routes while the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government is unwilling to exercise price control on petroleum products.
“Public transport drivers no longer earn anything. Our suffering would definitely affect the commuters as well,” Piston president Mody Floranda said in a road side press briefing.
Piston’s announcement came as the Philippines implements its third consecutive “mega price hike” today, with diesel prices reaching beyond P120/liter while petrol prices are at P96/liter.
The transport federation earlier demanded a temporary fare hike of P5.00 and the scrapping of all taxes on petroleum products, including excise and value added taxes.
Piston also said the government must also scrap its deregulation policy on the oil industry that allows oil companies to hide actual profits.
The group added that the government must centralize the procurement of petroleum products from foreign sources and re-nationalize its biggest petrol retailer Petron Corp.
Ayuda response rolls out today
Meanwhile, the Marcos government has started its fuel subsidy rollout to sectors most affected by the “oil shock.”
Government agencies have started giving P3,000 to tricycle drivers, fisher folk and farmers as well as P5,000 to public transport drivers.
The Department of Transportation meanwhile announced its approval of a P1.00 fare hike for regular buses and P2.00 for air-conditioned vehicles, increasing basic fares from P13 to P15 for the first four kilometers of the commute.
The agency however refused to comment on pending fare hike petitions by taxi and tricycle drivers. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)