Transport strike in northern Negros
against higher fuel prices in Negros Occidental
Escalante and Bacoplod City
May 16-17, 2011
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| Photos courtesy of Northern Negros Alliance for Human Rights Advocates (NNAHRA) | |||||
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Transport Strike
The unabated oil petroleum productsprice hike severely
affected the lives of the people in Negros especially the poor people.
Indeed, the transport and fishing sector continue to carry the heavy
burden of this unjust and oppressive highoil prices imposed by the big oil
companies.According to Fr. Gilbert Billena, O.Carm, the chairperson of
NNAHRA, “The people are now into dire situation due to unabated fuel
prices”. He also said that this situation does not favor the poor people
and business sector and it is a clear oppression of the big oil companies
against the struggling people through the continuing imposition of
overpriced petroleum products in Negros.
The Northern Negros Alliance for Human Rights Advocates
also strongly opposed President Aquino’s stance on the escalating oil
prices in the country. The “PantawidPasada” of P-NOY administration for
the transport operators is not the genuine solution to this problem. It
seems that the administration of P-NOY is heartless to the plea of the
transport and fishing sector by conniving with the interest of the big oil
companies. Hence, through this two days transport strike, the multi-sectoral
organizations in Northern Negros calls for the demand to the cancellation
of the Oil Deregulation Law that causes the unabated oil hike price and
the revocation of the 12% Expanded Value Added tax on oil petroleum
products and thorough investigation about the higher price difference of
oil products in Negros Occidental.
NNAHRA chairperson estimated that the first day of
transport strike was participated by 80% of the public transport sector in
Escalante and 90% in Toboso area. On the second of day of transport strike
the public transportation in the town of Toboso and Escalante City, Negros
Occidental was 95% paralyzed. It was well participated by the jeepney and
tricycle operators. The Ceres Bus operation from Escalante going to
Bacolod City was fully paralyzed at 8:00 in the morning until afternoon
due to the persuasion of the striking transport operators to the
commuters. The transport strike was successfully culminated with the march
rally that began at 1:00 in the afternoon participated by 700 people from
different areas in Escalante City and followed by the two hours program
held in the strike center at Escalante City rotonda and ended at 4:00 p.m
with the noise barrage.
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