LEGAZPI CITY—AROUND 10,000 drivers of public utility jeeps, vans, air-condition buses, and tricycles in the Bicol region were expected to hold a two-day transport strike starting Tuesday dawn, a transport group announced yesterday.
Joel Ascutia, Condor-Piston-Bikol chair, said his group aims to paralyze up to 95 percent of transport routes in the region.
He said this was preparatory to a more massive strike planned by Piston between September and October.
The group plans to start the strike early on Tuesday, hours after President Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her State of the Nation Address.
“The drivers never felt the progress President Arroyo has been talking about,” Ascutia said.
He said Congress, as it opens next week, should put oil companies in check.
“They have been taking the public for a ride,” said Ascutia.
He said, however, that some drivers haven’t made a commitment to join the strike.
Some, he said, were “being pressured by politicians.”
“There are drivers who withdrew their support because of pressure from politicians, mostly those who belong to the administration,” said Ascutia, who refused to elaborate and name names.
Condor-Piston is demanding the scrapping of the expanded value-added tax on oil and the oil deregulation law and Ms Arroyo’s ouster.
Drivers in Tagbilaran City went ahead with a strike yesterday.
At least 40 percent of small utility vehicles were off the streets in the city.
Amidst the strike, at least 1,500 tricycle drivers and operators demanded a P1 increase in their minimum fare.
Dondon Valiota, spokesperson of the Dao-Terminal Operators and Drivers Association (Datoda), said only 80 small utility vehicles out of 145 units were seen plying regular routes.
Before the oil price increases, drivers were able to take home up to P250 per day in income. After the increases, this income was reduced to as little as P60, barely enough to feed the drivers’ families. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon and Kit Bagaipo, Inquirer Visayas
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