Piston-Cebu to hold transport strike on Sept. 29

Local

THE Cebu chapter of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) will hold a transport strike on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to protest rising fuel prices, and to call for measures that would ease the financial burden on drivers and other workers.

In a statement, Piston-Cebu said it would establish strike centers in various locations across the province as part of the nationwide transport strike called by its national office for Sept. 29 to 30.

The group said the strike was a response to the continuing increase in fuel and commodity prices, with diesel prices reaching as high as P105 per liter.

"Tungod sa walay hunong ug sunod-sunod nga pagsaka sa presyo sa lana, diin niabot na og kapin ₱105 kada litro ang krudo, nag-antos pag-ayo ang atong mga drayber ug operator. Ang ilang kinitaan ginakaon lang sa kamahal sa gasolina ug sa nagpadayong pagsaka sa presyo sa mga palaliton," the group said.

They attributed the increase in fuel prices to what it described as US “imperialist aggression” toward Iran and the resulting instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global oil shipments.

The group also blamed existing government policies, including the Oil Deregulation Law, value-added tax and excise taxes, for contributing to the rising costs being shouldered by drivers and consumers.

Meanwhile, Piston-Cebu is calling for the implementation of six measures, including a P10 increase in public transport fares and a P1,200 national minimum living wage for workers.

It is also seeking the removal of VAT and excise taxes on fuel and other basic commodities, as well as a rollback of fuel prices to P55 per liter.

The group further called for an end to what it described as overpricing by major oil companies, the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and the nationalization of the oil industry as well as the end to what it described as a war being pushed by the United States.

Piston-Cebu urged Cebuano commuters and other sectors of the public to support the strike, saying the action aims to highlight the concerns of drivers and workers affected by increasing prices.

"Giawhag sa PISTON Cebu Chapter ang pagsalmot ug pagsuporta sa katawhang Sugboanon karong umaabot sa welga alang sa unom ka demanda," the group said.(RBE)