A transportation strike to protest the rise oil prices is set in the cities of Bacolod, Talisay, and Silay in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, April 15, Bayan Negros Secretary General Noli Rosales said Sunday.
The strike is being organized by the convenors of the newly formed “No to Oil Price Hike Coalition – Negros.”
Protest centers will be established in various areas on Wednesday morning, followed by a rally in the afternoon in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the Bacolod City Public Plaza, Rosales said .
Rosales said drivers, commuters, business groups, and various sectors joined the organization of the coalition on Saturday to finalize plans.
In a press statement, the coalition said its demands include the abolition of Value Added Tax (VAT) and excise taxes on petroleum products in favor of a wealth tax, and a rollback of oil prices to P55.
The group is also calling for the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law, the implementation of oil price controls, fare increase for all types of transportation, and a P1,000 family living wage.
The coalition is also pushing for the nationalization of the oil industry, with the government directly purchasing and selling oil at lower prices.
They also called for the cessation of the US-Israeli war of aggression with Iran and other countries.
The coalition is led by the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center-Piston (UNDOC-Piston), Kabacod Negros Transport Organization (KNETCO), and Bacolod Alliance for Commuters Operators and Drivers (BACODNI) Manibela.
“Drivers are not the only ones affected by this oil crisis. Everyone is affected and cannot escape because we all depend on oil for our livelihoods and daily travel,” Rodolfo Gardoce, chairperson of UNDOC-Piston, said.
Lilian Sembrano, president of KNETCO, added that the transport sector is not dependent on aid but on the stability of their “bread and butter.”
She warned that if the price of gasoline continues to rise, drivers and their families will face hunger.
Various militant groups are also among the convenors of the coalition.*
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