Drivers, labor groups set protest rally

Transport groups are set to paralyze mass transport next week to protest the series of price increases on oil products.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) revived the Kontra Kartel, a broad multisectoral alliance of transport organizations, local oil dealers, labor groups, consumers’ organizations and militant workers. Kontra Kartel will storm the Makati offices of the oil companies tomorrow and launch a picket at the Caltex oil depot in Pandacan, Manila on Wednesday.

Piston, on the other hand, will launch a sit-down strike they termed "Tigil Pasada" to protest the oil price increase.

"Jeepney drivers plying the Cubao, Monumento and Alabang routes will delay transport services for several hours to highlight our demand for an urgent oil price rollback. We urge concerned sectors and all those who are fed up with excessive oil price hikes to join the Metro Manila-wide protest actions," said Piston chairman Menardo Roda.

The protest actions were triggered by the increase in the prices of Caltex oil products – 20 centavos per liter for diesel and 30 centavos per liter for gasoline and kerosene – Friday night.

Kontra Kartel spokesperson Eleanor de Guzman blamed the government’s oil deregulation policy for the "non-stop" increase in oil prices.

De Guzman noted that the latest Caltex oil price increase is the tenth in seven months, amounting to a total increase of P2.85 per liter. The increases were unwarranted, she said, citing Ibon Databank computations indicating that the oil companies owe the public a rollback of P2.64 per liter due to overpricing in year 2000.

Oil prices will never come down unless the oil deregulation law is repealed and government control on oil prices imposed, De Guzman added.

"We very well know that President Arroyo is a loyal advocate of deregulation and therefore a protector of the cartel. The Kontra Kartel, though, will strongly press for the junking of the policy to relieve the people of this burden," she said.

KMU vice president Emilia Dapulang, on the other hand, said that the government must enforce necessary measures to lower the prices of oil products and impose effective price controls.

"An urgent oil price rollback is needed to cushion the impacts of excessive oil price hikes on the livelihood of workers and other poor sectors. President Arroyo should account for the unrestrained oil price increases," Dapulang said.