MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 15, 2012) – A Filipino labor organization Kilusang Mayo Uno on Thursday vowed to continue its protests over the rising prices of crude oil and petroleum products in the Philippines.
The KMU joined a massive multisectoral protest in the country on Thursday against oil companies and demanded that President Benigno Aquino takes action and provides some relief from the non-stop oil price hikes.
It also called for the scrapping of the Value-Added Tax on petroleum products, the junking of the Oil Deregulation Law, and the nationalization of the oil industry.
“While today’s protest marks a peak of our campaign, we vow to launch bigger protests in the coming months until we get some relief from the skyrocketing oil prices. Because hunger and poverty continue to worsen, we vow never to stop holding protests until our demands are met,” said Elmer Labog, the KMU chairperson.
“The Filipino workers and people are angry at the unabated hikes in the prices of oil products. We are getting even angrier upon seeing the big oil companies’ greed and the Aquino government’s attempt to paint itself as helpless before the price hikes. Progressive organizations like the KMU will continue to provide workers and the people with various means to express their anger at the non-stop oil price hikes,” he added.
In Davao City in the southern Philippines, KMU members protested in front of oil depots of Petron and Caltex to protest the incessant increases in oil products.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda praised transport groups which did not participate in the protests.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa Pasang Masda, FEJODAP, ACTO, Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative at iba pang mga transport groups na tumugon sa pangangailangan ng publiko, at hindi sumali sa tinatawag na transport caravan ng ilang panig.”
“Patuloy po kaming nananawagan sa lahat: iwasan na po sana natin ang mga kilos na inilalayo tayo sa makabuluhang diskurso, at nagdudulot lamang ng perhuwisyo sa publiko. Hindi lang po perhuwisyo, kundi panganib din, ang naidudulot ng paglalagay ng pako at spikes sa ating mga kalsada,” he said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
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