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Students support people's protest vs oil
price hikes
December 13, 2007
The League of Filipino Students (LFS) expressed it support to transport
groups and people's organizations in protests vs. oil price hikes today.
According to the students, the protests are justified, as the government
and oil giants have been "in cahoots for so long in super-overpricing
their products" and "robbing billions from the Filipino people."
"The drivers and organizations joining the protests need not worry about
whatever inconveniences the transport stoppages will bring. Most students
believe that the protests are just and that oil price hikes should be
stopped, especially in the light of impending power and water rate
increases," said Vencer Crisostomo, LFS national chairperson.
The LFS promised to intensify its information campaign regarding unjust
oil price hikes among campuses. The students released posters today
explaining the need to stop oil price increases and junk the oil
deregulation law.
The posters, with the header: "Bakit hindi makatarungan ang walang ampat
na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis?", explained that the oil companies have
been overpricing their products by as much as P4 per liter since 2001, and
have been raking superprofits of as much as P32B by transfer pricing
schemes. It cited figures by Ibon Databank.
The LFS posted a copy of their posters and a primer on the oil price hikes
on their website (www.lfs.ph) and vowed to "saturate the cyberspace" with
their call to stop oil price increases.
"We will make the general public understand the sentiments of transport
groups and protesters. The people must be united against this grave crime
being committed by the Arroyo government and the oil companies, subjecting
the country to further abuse and poverty," said Crisostomo.
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News Release
December 13, 2007
For reference: Connie Bragas-Regalado,
Chairperson (0927-215-7392)
Scrap oil deregulation law -- Migrante
For OFWs and their families reeling from the negative effects of the
“strong peso” on their pockets, the call to scrap the oil deregulation law
is a welcome one.
“We join the various sectors calling for the scrapping of the oil
deregulation law. The constant oil price hikes fuel the rising prices of
basic goods and services. As such, the already diminished budget we’re
left with because of the ‘strong peso’ is diminished even further,” says
Connie-Bragas- Regalado, Migrante International Chairperson during the
National People’s Protest Against Oil Price Hikes.
“If the Arroyo administration is truly intent on alleviating the financial
crisis OFWs and their families face – the repeal of the Oil Deregulation
Law or RA 8479 should be among the first steps she takes,” she added,
noting that OFW families are also directly hit since many are also PUV
operators or commuters.
Since the full deregulation of the oil industry in 1998, the price of
petroleum products has increased by 513.4%. Under Arroyo, the petroleum
products increased by 121.9% with oil prices increasing an average of 8
times per year, according to the science and technology group Agham.
Bragas-Regalado estimates that since the dollar’s steady fall, OFWs and
their families are losing an average of 20% in the value of their
remittances.
“Pegging the dollar to a peso exchange rate will help us little if the
prices for various goods and services keep increasing. Already, most OFW
remittances are spent on basic items like food, clothing and shelter. It’s
such that even earnings from abroad can hardly keep up with the rising
cost of living,” said Bragas-Regalado.
The migrant leader said that with Christmas fast approaching, the peso may
rise even further as more OFWs send dollars home to their relatives. The
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas estimates OFW remittances may reach around
$14.7 billion this year with monthly remittances consistently breaching
the US$1 billion mark.
“Clearly, pronouncements about how the ‘strong peso’ illustrates a ‘strong
economy’ are another Malacanang myth. The rising oil price hikes, rising
cost of living and rising number of Filipinos forced overseas to survive
shatter this latest Arroyo lie to the people,” she exclaimed.
“We commit to intensifying the campaign for the repeal of the oil
deregulation law among overseas Filipinos and their families. Actions for
the scrapping of this anti-people law and ouster of Arroyo will surely
intensify in the coming year,” concluded Bragas-Regalado. #
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