By Ephraim Aguilar
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 12:12:00 07/29/2008
Read from INQUIRER website.
LEGAZPI CITY -- Even more disgusted by the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Macapagal-Arroyo Monday because it failed to address "real issues," public utility drivers in the Bicol region started their two- day transport strike Tuesday dawn.
As of 10 a.m., public transportation system has been paralyzed by 99 percent in Sorsogon, 99 percent in Albay, 97 percent in Camarines Norte, and 75 percent in Camarines Sur, according to Joel Ascutia, chairman of the Concerned Drivers and Operators for Reform (Condor-Piston-Bikol).
Condor-Piston, an affiliate of Piston, began the two-day strike on 12:01 a.m. Tuesday to protest the unabated increases in the prices of fuel.
The group is being supported by transport group Fedvitoda (Virac Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association) and militant group Bayan-Bicol (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, New Patriotic Alliance).
Masbate drivers staged mass protests and vigils while Catanduanes drivers would join the strike on Wednesday.
The strike covered jeepneys, air-conditioned buses, vans, and tricycles.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a memorandum suspending classes in the elementary and secondary levels while it was discretionary for the heads of the colleges and universities.
Ascutia said Arroyo's SONA was "shallow and deceiving."
He said Arroyo was proud to defend the expanded value added tax (EVAT) when it was a heavy yoke on drivers, who were now earning a daily average of P200 for 14 hours of driving.
The boundary or the amount being paid by the drivers to operators here is around P700 while every driver consumes around 30 liters of gas or P1,200 daily, Ascutia said.
"We don't even know where the EVAT is going. The cost of President Arroyo's subsidies or dole-outs is small compared to the entire EVAT revenues," he said.
Ascutia said what the drivers needed were long-term solutions.
"While it is true that there is a global crisis, we hope that our government will have its own measures to defend its people from poverty," said Ascutia.
The drivers are pushing for the lifting of the VAT on oil and the scrapping of the oil deregulation law.
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