Public protection from predatory pricing pressed
Militants Protest Against Oil Price Hike

The militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng Mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) together with the activist labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), consumer alliance Kontra-Kartel, youth group Anakbayan and the Association of Concerned Truck Owners and Operators (ACTOO) are set to stage a series of protest actions in response to the recent increase in prices of oil products last week. The series will kick off a mobile picket on Jan. 6 in front of oil companies' offices in Makati City.

By Gerry Albert Corpuz
Bulatlat.com

In a press statement sent to Bulatlat.com, Piston chair Medardo Roda scored Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell and Caltex Philippines, the three major oil companies in the country,  for raising the prices of gasoline diesel by 49 centavos per liter. He said the Big Three took advantage of the holiday season before unleashing their "fatal greed for super profits."

Roda said the Big Three are still disposing their inventory previously procured at lower prices two months ago. He said that instead of raising prices of oil products, Shell, Caltex and Petron should have in fact made a series of price rollback in the last quarter of 2002.

According to Roda, the Big Three should have implemented a P 1.25 rollback in the price of oil in October last year instead of the average 20-centavo cut during the period, and P .82/liter cut instead of P .40 in November.  

In December, the oil companies should have dropped prices of oil products by an average of P.61/liter, said Piston. No rollback however was made during this period. 

The transport group said last week's P.49 increase in diesel gasoline would cost jeepney drivers an additional P 15 for every 30 liters of gasoline.

"Napakatumal ng pasahero pagkatapos ng Pasko. Swerte ang mga driver kung may matitira pa matapos magtabi ng pang-boundary. Ngayon may dagdag pang P .49 sentimo kada litro ang diesel. Pagkatapos, pag-uwi sa bahay ng barya-baryang kita magrereklamo si misis dahil dumoble na ang singil sa tubig at may dagdag din na singil sa kuryente. Yan ba ang sinasabi ng gobyerno na umaangat na sa kahirapan ang ating mga kababayan (Passengers are slow after Christmas and drivers have nothing left after paying the operators. And here comes an additional P.49/liter in the cost of diesel. When we get home, our wives complain that water and electric rates have doubled. Is this the economic recovery that the government is saying?)?" the group lamented.

The 10th since last year

The pro-consumer advocate group Kontra Kartel said the hike was the 10th since last year.

Kontra Kartel spokesperson Eleanor de Guzman said that since the deregulation of the country's downstream industry in 1996, her group has monitored 44 rounds of increases in prices of petroleum products. 

"We will make a big move this year to push congress to review and repeal the Oil Deregulation Law that permits oil companies to raise prices of oil products any time and at any rate," she said. For his part, student leader Apolinario Alvarez said aside from the oil price hike, the approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) of Manila Electric Company's petition asking for the collection of over P5 billion in Purchase Power Adjustment (PPA) charges only displayed the Macapagal-Arroyo administration's extreme bias big companies like Petron, Shell, Caltex and Meralco.

Alvarez said that even if President Gloria Arroyo has "officially withdrawn" from the 2004 presidential derby she would still be confronted by the same socio-economic demands of the people.

"She would still be held principally responsible in meeting the needs and demands of the Filipino people. In case of oil, the president should provide protection to the general public against any forms of predatory pricing and corporate exploitation," the youth leader pointed out.

"The president should focus on how to ensure meaningful economic reforms that would address immediate and strategic concerns of the people. Definitely not oil price hikes," the group said.

Up against MMDA's circular memo

Meanwhile, Piston and ACTOO vowed to oppose Memorandum Circular No. 08 issued by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The new memorandum sets the guidelines on the assessment and payment of fines and penalties for traffic violations. The MMDA under present chair Bayani Fernando has adopted the provisions of Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Order no. 93-693.

At present, the penalty for the highest charge is being collected from traffic violators charged with several offenses. But under the new memorandum, fine or penalty for all traffic violations cited would be collected.

“This is very oppressive and appears to be one big money making scheme by the MMDA and the DOTC", the groups said. Bulatlat.com

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