Nationwide transport strike begins Thursday

MANILA, Philippines — Transport group Piston will mount a nationwide transport strike starting Thursday, calling for the removal of fuel-related taxes, rollback of oil prices and a fare increase of P5.

“Even those who have modernized their vehicles will join the protest because of the big income loss brought by the fuel price hike,” Piston president Mody Floranda said yesterday.

President Marcos should release an executive order suspending the excise and value-added taxes on petroleum products, Floranda urged.

Fuel prices should be rolled back to P55 per liter, he maintained.

The oil deregulation law, which has allowed oil firms to control prices, should be junked, Floranda said.

A petition for a provisional fare hike of P5 will be filed before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), he noted.

Motorcycle taxi operators are also seeking a fare hike, in a petition filed on March 12 by the United Transportation Coalition Philippines Inc.

With diesel prices reaching P120 per liter, public utility vehicle drivers consuming 30 liters per day are losing P3,600, Floranda stressed.

The cash aid of P5,000 from the government would not be enough for two days, Floranda said.

Piston expects around 100,000 of its members to join the strike.

Progressive group Bayan said the strike is not just about the transportation sector since multi-sectoral groups have expressed support due to the far-reaching impact of the oil crisis.

The Philippine National Police will aid commuters who will be affected by the transport strike.

Fuel subsidy

Aside from the cash aid funded through the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, a fuel subsidy will be provided to public utility vehicle operators, the LTFRB said.

The fuel subsidy will be sourced from the P2.6-billion budget of the Department of Transportation.

DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez said they are awaiting the Department of Budget and Management’s notice before releasing the subsidy.

With the amount still undetermined, the subsidy will be first distributed in Metro Manila.

Tricycle drivers will not be prioritized in the fuel subsidy program since they are not within the jurisdiction of the DOTr and LTFRB, Lopez explained.

As for jeepney drivers’ AICS cash aid, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said it will be distributed on March 23.

Outside the capital, jeepney drivers are criticizing the Metro Manila-centered distribution of financial aid.

Labor group Sentro yesterday urged Congress to pass an across-the-board wage increase of P200.

Meanwhile, Filipinos can expect free bus rides in some of the country’s most urbanized districts by the second week of April, the DOTr said.

The agency is waiting for the special allotment release order worth P1 billion for the Service Contracting Program. — Emmanuel Tupas, Rhodina Villanueva, Elijah Felice Rosales