Militants paint Mega Manila red in more than 20 protest centers

Demand rollback in oil prices, P125 legislated wage hike, scrapping of VAT

Workers, urban poor, and other sectors painted the town red today by staging protests in more than 20 areas in Mega Manila. Militants demand for the immediate substantial rollback of oil prices, legislation of the P125 wage hike, and the scrapping of VAT on oil and power.

“The Arroyo government better not be stubborn. This is just a prelude to a nation-wide transport strike we are gearing up for next month if our demands are not met,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog.

P5 COLA

KMU also lambasted the recent announcement of the National Wage Board of the effectivity of the P5 COLA adjustment starting today.

“This 5 peso COLA was granted three months ago, together with the equally insulting P15 wage adjustment, so what is there to brag about?

“And if this is the Arroyo regime’s way of recognizing the bites of monthly record-breaking rates, of pacifying the people in the anticipated round of increases in the prices of canned goods, vegetables, and other food products, and of evading again the legislated P125 wage increase, we warn her to stop her delusions.,” Labog reacted.

“The 5-peso cannot even adjust the ‘cost of living,’ it’s not even par with new minimum jeep fare of P8.50.”

Petroleum

Labog also pointed out the evident exploitation of big oil companies who prices petroleum products, and the regime that taxes heavily from it.

When the world market oil price was $114 on the average last May, average diesel price for the same month is P44. After increases and decreases in the world market, and the average oil price for this month of August is pegged at $114, the price of diesel is now P55.

“That should already amount to a minimum of P11 instant rollback. We are not yet considering the P12 overprice cost exposed by IBON, and the excessive profiteering of big oil companies.