“Pres. Aquino will not address the people’s and drivers’ demands on the issue of oil. That is our fearless forecast.”
This was labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno’s statement one day before Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s scheduled meeting with transport leaders, citing the government’s carrot and stick approach to stop an impending transport strike.
Amidst talks of a transport strike, presidential deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a press briefing in Malacañang, hinted at giving out another Pantawid Pasada tranche while warning transport groups about losing their franchise.
“Pres. Aquino’s carrot and stick approach to the transport sector says it all: he does not intend to address the people’s and transport groups’ call on the issue of oil prices, but merely wants to avert a transport strike,” said Lito Ustarez, KMU vice-chairperson.
“Our forecast is that he will refuse to act on demands for a stop to the oil companies’ overpricing of their products, for the scrapping of the VAT on oil, and for the junking of the Oil Deregulation Law,” he added.
“There is no need for the president to dangle offers of another Pantawid Pasada tranche and threats of cancelling transport franchises if he really wants to give the public and drivers an immediate relief from the high and skyrocketing prices of oil,” Ustarez said.
“It is therefore the height of hypocrisy to label tomorrow’s dialogue fair,” he added.
Appeal to transport leaders
While respecting transport leaders’ decision to attend the scheduled dialogue, KMU reiterated its call to the leaders to stand firm on their demands on oil prices.
Valte said that so far, six transport groups have confirmed their attendance in the dialogue.
“We respect the decision of transport leaders to attend the scheduled dialogue. We call on them, however, to not give in to the president’s offers and threats, stand firm with their demands, and carry on with their protests in the coming days,” Ustarez said.
“We hope the country’s transport leaders will consider as insulting the president’s offers and threats and stand firm on the people’s and drivers’ demands,” he added. Lito Ustarez, KMU Vice Chairperson
