Southern Tagalog Transport Groups Press for Arroyo’s Ouster

Transport groups were not only able to paralyze public transportation in Southern Tagalog on Sept. 12 but also used the nationwide strike to speak to commuters and reporters about the high oil prices, the expanded value added tax (E-VAT) and a “fake president.”

By Dennis Espada
Bulatlat

Transport groups were not only able to paralyze public transportation in Southern Tagalog on Sept. 12 but also used the nationwide strike to speak to commuters and reporters about the high oil prices, the expanded value added tax (E-VAT) and a “fake president.”

Leaders of the Southern Tagalog Region Transport Sector Organization (STARTER) said the one-day strike crippled public transport in at least four provinces in the region: Laguna (95 percent), Batangas (75 percent), Rizal (70 percent) and Cavite (65 percent).

As the strike was ongoing, tricycle drivers in Cabuyao town launched a protest caravan causing many factory workers and employees unable to report for work at the Science Park. Pickets were also held at various highly-populated areas, it was learned.

Stranded commuters walked by the highways while others took their ride in rented vehicles, paying thrice the regular fare.

Some drivers, however, continued plying their routes saying they cannot afford to lose a day's income.

Oil price hikes

Why do gasoline prices -- increased by the oil companies at least 15 times this year - remain so high?

Rolando Mingo, STARTER secretary-general Rolando Mingo, told Bulatlat that aside from dictated prices, the deregulated oil industry also allows the Big 3 oil companies, Shell, Caltex and Petron, to engage in financial speculations on the price and supply at the world market.

"Unless the Oil Deregulation Law is scrapped and the industry is nationalized, this unjust suffering (of the people) will continue," he said.

The VAT law, whose expanded coverage includes oil and electricity, among others, also calls for an increase of from 10 to 12 percent in the VAT rate starting this year.

With the looming implementation of the E-VAT following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling upholding its constitutionality, the consumers would have to carry the added burden even as majority of them continue to wallow in poverty.

Impeachment

The nationwide transport strike was held a week after the House of Representatives, which is dominated by allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, voted 158-51 with six abstentions supporting the justice committee report aborting the sole legal process of impeaching the president for electoral fraud, corruption, human rights violations and other crimes.

The transport strike, organizers said, thus also carried a political statement denouncing the vote and signaled the start of street protests aimed at unseating the president – considered by many Filipinos as illegitimate – from her office.

On Sept. 16, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Nationalist Alliance) in Southern Tagalog and allied groups staged a rally at the Don Chino Roces Bridge, Mendiola in Manila, calling for Macapagal-Arroyo’s ouster.

At the rally, Arman Albarillo of Bayan-ST predicted that the peaceful protests "will be like waves” that would eventually topple the president.

Pura Calleja, lawyer and spokesperson of Laguna Laban Kay Gloria (Laglag or Laguna Against Gloria), said now is the time to double efforts to organize and mobilize the public toward unseating the president and establish a transition council.

"We must ensure that the marginalized sectors are well-represented in the council," Calleja said, adding that the country's outstanding leaders have long shunned elections because they are disgusted with the system. Bulatlat

BACK TO TOP ■  PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION  ■   COMMENT

© 2005 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.