A MAJOR transport group yesterday hinted of
a strike this weekend in protest of the continued increase in
the prices of diesel.
"We might as well not go out on a weekend.
Were not earning due to the continued rise in the price of
diesel," said George San Mateo, secretary general of the
Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide
(Piston).
The group has about 200, 000 members
nationwide.
San Mateo said drivers have been at the
losing end since the start of the year when oil companies
began implementing almost weekly increases in the prices of
oil products.
He pressed for the lifting of the 12
percent value-added tax on oil.
San Mateo said in past weekends, fewer
families have been going out, preferring instead to stay home
so they could stretch their pesos further.
The Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board recently approved a fare hike that pegged the
minimum fare for passenger jeeps in Metro Manila at P8.50 from
the previous P8.
San Mateo said the fare hike is not enough
for drivers to cope with the continued rise in diesel prices.
Piston and other transport groups such as
the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of
the Philippines (Fejodap) said they are mulling another fare
hike petition that will increase the minimum further to P10.
San Mateo said jeep drivers consume an average of 30 liters
of diesel a day. At P56 a liter, jeep drivers have to spend a
minimum of P1,680 a day for fuel. - Ashzel Hachero
