AJLPP Applauds National Transport strike

Los Angeles- AJLPP congratulates the striking Filipino jeepney drivers from the militant PISTON group in the Philippines Monday that crippled public transportation in some cities in Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON, United Organization of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) called the strike to demand the scrapping of the expanded value-added tax (E-VAT) on oil products and of the oil deregulation law.

The Piston strike came amid skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and surging prices of oil in the world market, where the price of a barrel shot past the $126 mark last week.

Piston’s strike call apparently found greater sympathy in the provinces, where up to 90 to 95 percent of public transportation was disrupted in some cities, such as Legazpi, Bacolod and Davao, according to strike organizers.

The AJLPP also lauded Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for supporting the natinwide strike sepecially in Davao City and in Mindanao.

“The Filipinos are angry and I am angry,” Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said, showing up at a rally by some 300 protesters in Davao City. “The lives of the Filipinos are miserable because of the failure of the government to address the problem of the people.”

“What the government must do is to cut E-VAT. It’s the reason why the people are suffering. The Oil Deregulation Law is there already. What the national government must do is to sacrifice by cutting E-VAT,” Duterte added.