MANDAUE CITY, Philippines -- The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON)-Cebu Chapter and Panaghugpong Kadamay Cebu, on Tuesday, March 8, staged a protest beside a
Members of PISTON-Cebu Chapter and Panaghugpong Kadamay Cebu staged a rally in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City to protest the series of oil price hikes.
Greg Perez, PISTON-Cebu head, said the increases have a very big negative effect not only on the public transport drivers but also on the ordinary people as it will have a domino effect. Republic Act No. 8479 also known as the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, removed government control on the pricing, exportation, and importation of petroleum products, which allow oil companies to dictate oil prices.
Perez said they have yet to decide if they will be asking for an increase in fare because this will clearly affect the ordinary people who are still struggling against the pandemic and the recent typhoon.In a separate interview, Atty. Russ Mark Gamallo, director of the Department of Energy Visayas field office, said they are planning to revive the Pantawid Pasada Program to give subsidies to affected drivers.