Workers to Aquino: Act now vs. oil price hikes

Joining a protest action against huge oil price hikes at Welcome Rotonda today, workers led by labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno decried the oil companies’ greed and called on Pres. Noynoy Aquino to act immediately against such increases.

After maintaining prices last week in areas devastated by the massive flooding caused by heavy torrential rains, the oil companies implemented big-time price hikes last Monday.

They are scheduled to increase prices this week by as much as P1.18 per liter for gas and P1.31 per liter for diesel, citing increasing prices in the world market due to the “recovery” of the US economy.

“Once again, the oil companies are showing that their greed for superprofits will not be hindered by anything, not even national calamities,” said Lito Ustarez, KMU vice-chairperson.

“Their big-time price hikes are added burdens for poor people still reeling from the destruction of properties and the soaring prices of goods, including food products,” he added.

“Oil companies have come up with another excuse to continuously increase prices, and the country will be facing typhoons in the coming weeks and months. That’s why Pres. Aquino should act now to stop oil companies from increasing prices,” he said.

KMU called on the Aquino government to release its Independent Review Commission’s findings on allegations of overpricing against the oil companies.

It also called on the chief executive to junk the 12% Value-Added Tax on petroleum products and repeal the Oil Deregulation Law of 1998.

“Pres. Aquino should stop oil companies from imposing big-time increases in petroleum products with nary a scrutiny. He can do something to protect the public from the oil companies’ profiteering schemes and price hikes in the world market,” Ustarez said.

“The public is still suffering from the calamity that hit the country, and from intensifying hunger, poverty and unemployment,” he said.

“We vow to hold more protests in the coming weeks against increases in the prices of petroleum products and other basic commodities. We also vow to push for the passage of the P125 Wage Hike Bill,” he added.

KMU has been pushing for the passage of House Bill 357, filled by Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Rafael V. Mariano seeking a P125 across-the-board wage increase nationwide as a form of immediate relief from increasing prices of basic goods and services.