Condemning the Big 3’s overpricing of petroleum products and the Aquino government’s collusion with oil companies, thousands gathered in various protest centers in Metro Manila today to call for an immediate P9.00 rollback in the per liter prices of oil.
The coordinated local actions are part of the “Protestang Bayan laban sa Overpricing sa Langis at Sabwatang Noynoy-Kartel,” which also saw jeepney drivers launching a protest caravan to the main office of Shell Philippines and holding transport strikes in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.
The Metro-wide protest gathered hundreds in the following: Sta. Mesa and Anda Circle in Manila; Litex, Philcoa, Cubao and Elliptical Road in Quezon City; Monumento in Caloocan; Marikina; and other areas.
“The Big 3 persists in overpricing oil products and the Aquino government continues to collude with the oil companies. Because we want an immediate relief in the form of an immediate P9.00 rollback in the per liter prices of oil products, the Filipino workers and people are left with no choice but to unite and fight,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.
“It is simply not true that Petron, Shell and Caltex are merely following price movements in the world market. It’s their mother companies who are dictating global oil prices and they are overpricing local petroleum products by P9.00 per liter at the least,” he added.
KMU claims local oil prices have been overpriced by at least P9.00 per liter, accumulated since January 2008. It says whenever there is a price hike in the world market, the Big 3 increases local prices by amounts higher than that dictated by the world market. Whenever there is a price rollback in the world market, the Big 3 reduces prices by amounts lower than that dictated by the world market.
Led by labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno, the protest brought together the following: the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, Gabriela, Migrante, Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, among other organizations, as well as progressive partylists Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, and Act Teachers.
The protest caravan and transport strikes were led by the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or PISTON.
“We are calling on the Filipino workers and people to intensify protests against the overpricing of petroleum products in the coming weeks. We have to match the Big 3 and the Aquino government’s determination in robbing us through overpricing with our determination to fight,” Labog said.
“The overpricing of petroleum products has become simply intolerable for those who are receiving meager wages or are jobless in the first place and are directly using petroleum products in the house or in earning a living. We vow to continue the fight in the coming weeks,” he added. Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU Chairperson
