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By ARNOLD PADILLA
To a certain degree, Executive Order 839 questioned the lies long peddled by the oil companies and staunch defenders of neoliberalism about neoliberal free market economics. If left unchallenged, EO 839 could become a precedent in policy making: that the government, in the name of public good and welfare, could take decisive action against abusive corporations.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Metro Manila drivers’ associations welcomed the freeze or control in oil prices mandated by Executive Order 839. “It gives people immediate relief,” said Piston's Steve Ranjo. And relief is exactly what the Filipino people have been needing for who knows how long.
Because of Surging Oil Prices Davao City --- Less than 50 days before Christmas and yet, due to rising prices of oil products and rice in Mindanao, the poor would have a sad Christmas, Anakpawis partylist said. “The dismal state of the poor in Davao and in the...
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Analysis Bulatlat.com MANILA -- When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order No. 839 on October 23 ordering oil companies to roll back pump prices in areas affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng to October 15 levels, the Big Three...
By ARNOLD PADILLA
While it is supposed to be based on the Oil Deregulation Law, the executive order mandating the recent price rollback in effect puts into question the wisdom of oil deregulation. Moreover, the oil companies have found a way to offset whatever “losses” they would incur in Luzon due to the EO: by overpricing in the Visayas and Mindanao.
By MARYA SALAMAT
While the government bears down on small businesses and producers, warning them against profiteering in the wake of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, it has allowed Shell, Caltex and Petron to increase oil prices at will.
By ARNOLD PADILLA
No matter how oil firms deny the allegations that they are overcharging the consumers, the widespread public perception that oil companies are abusive and profit-hungry will remain. This will be the case as long as the oil industry is deregulated and oil companies are allowed to automatically increase their prices and at the same time not compelled to publicly divulge how they compute their price adjustments.
“Our transport strike is a success.” Thus said the Task Force July 13, a transport group coalition, at the conclusion of the day-long strike it led in selected Metro Manila routes and regions outside the capital on Monday. Through the strike, they said, they were able to register their protest against the overpricing of petroleum products by the oil companies, particularly the so-called Big Three, and their connivance with the Arroyo regime. View the slideshow
Transport Strike a Success, Say Groups
Jeepney drivers in Litex, Quezon City, brave the rain to denounce the alleged manipulation of oil prices by oil companies. (Photos by Ronalyn V. Olea / bulatlat.com) Related stories: Massive Transport Strike Set on Monday; Groups Denounce Oil Firms’ ‘Greed’ For...
Despite the recent oil price rollbacks, IBON computations show that oil products in the country are still overpriced by P2.12 ($0.043) per liter. While the Filipino people suffers from increases in the prices of basic goods and services, oil companies earned P3.32...
BY JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat Vol. VIII, No. 15, May 18-24, 2008 Hurting from the continuous oil price hikes, militant labor leaders echoed their sentiments along the streets of Quezon City during the recent transport strike. All of them were clamoring for...
May mga ginagawa naman ang pamahalaan para bigyang-solusyon ang sunud-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis. Ang tanong lang siyempre ay kung sapat ba ang mga ito para makatulong sa mga tao. NI DANILO ARAÑA ARAO Konteksto / Pinoy Weekly Inilathala ng Bulatlat Vol....
Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas III said that suspending the Value-Added Tax on oil products will give relief to the poor at the forum "People's Response to the Rising Oil Prices," Jan. 26, at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. BY EMILY VITAL...
Independent think-tank IBON Foundation criticizes the Department of Energy and Malacañang for passing the zero oil tariff cut, saying that reduced tariffs in the last three months has resulted in even higher prices of oil products. BY IBON FOUNDATION Posted by...
The urgency for real transparency in the domestic oil industry remains despite the recent rollback in oil prices, and vital information needs to be disclosed for the public to be assured that the monopolized domestic oil industry is not profiting at their expense....
In response to the growing clamor for the scrapping of RA 8479 or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, the House Oversight committee is, instead, pushing for its amendment. These developments should make consumers wary because these blunt calls to...
The oil companies and Malacañang together squeeze about P328.98 million ($6,783,092 at the current exchange rate of $1=P48.50) in unjust collections everyday from Filipino consumers. This brazen act of exploitation is downright condemnable, especially today that...
The “proper” implementation of RA 8479 or even amendments to it will not address the problem [of overpricing]. It does not have any provision on overpricing because deregulation assumes that the market will set the “fair” price. Government could not penalize the...
Jeepney drivers work long days and endure a lot of difficulties in their struggle to eke out a daily living. At the end of the day, however, their earnings are far from enough to afford basic necessities. BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO Bulatlat Sa maghapon Ang buhay...
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