MindaNews » Transport strike set in Cotabato areas, Caraga.

By Allen V. Estabillo, MindaNews.com
March 14, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/13 March) – Transport groups here and in nearby provinces of Sarangani and South Cotabato are preparing to launch a massive transport strike on Thursday in the wake of the continuing increase in fuel prices.

Larry Villegas, chair of the Transport Integrated for Restructuring of Economic Services (Tires) here, said they decided to stage a strike to protest the “unending” oil price hikes and compel the national
government to act on the matter.

“We’re calling on the government to scrap the VAT (value-added tax) on fuel to help ease our present situation,” he said in the vernacular.

Villegas, who also heads the South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos chapter of national transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Transport Operators Nationwide (Piston), said they are presently coordinating with other transport organizations in the area to join the planned strike.

In this city, he said the strike will start at around 4 a.m. In various choke points and will end at 3 p.m.

“Aside from this, we’re also planning to stage massive protests on a weekly basis,” Villegas said in a radio interview.

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