Thursday, May 08, 2008 Transport group, bizmen plan strategy to get demands
IN WHAT is considered a milestone meeting between two influential groups in Bacolod City, the transport group United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc) and the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (MBCCI) will join forces in asking the National Government to favor their demands.
Undoc is leading its entire organization province-wide, in coordination with its national mother unit Piston, in launching a massive protest action anchored on the following agenda: scrapping the oil deregulation law and the reformed value added tax, nationalizing the oil industry, setting up of strong food security measure program, and stopping corruption in government.
Undoc Secretary-General Jesse Ortega said the present crisis do not choose class or social status this time. "It is overwhelming, the rich and poor are saying the same dismay over the crisis which 'sucks the blood of every Filipino,' rich and poor alike."
"Who is to be blamed but the National Government who passed pauperizing legislative agenda?" Ortega added.
MBCCI, meanwhile, tends to be specific and would sympathize with the transport strike that would be staged by Undoc.
MBCCI's focus is on the scrapping of the value added tax on diesel fuel, considering that majority of the public transportation all over the country use diesel.
"Scrap RVAT on diesel and transfer this to regular gasoline so the unreasonable purchased of cars would be minimized," the MBCCI's statement said.
On the day of the strike, MBCCI members would be using one vehicle for business purposes and would also encourage colleagues in the business community to do the same.
MBCCI president Roberto Montelibano committed to use only one vehicle for all business functions of his family and would avoid 'socials' on the day of the transport strike.
A joint statement from Undoc and MBCCI would be issued this weekend and submitted to concerned agencies. (Gil Alfredo Severino)
