Road user's tax to be signed into law

President Estrada said yesterday he will sign the bill into law imposing a road users' tax as soon as Congress passes it because the government needs the additional revenue.

However, Romy Maranan, president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) warned that several transport groups plan to hold a nationwide strike on March 20 to oppose the bill's enactment into law.

"We don't need that," Maranan said. "Considering the continued increases in the prices of spare parts, this tax will only be an additional burden to us. We just hope the government will take our call into consideration."

The Chief Executive, on the other hand, said in his weekly radio program that the larger public transport groups, whose leaders met with him at Malacañang last January, will not join the strike, and that they would continue their dialogue with him.

"But I will be meeting with them (public transport leaders) again if they are objecting to this (road users' tax)," he said.

Mr. Estrada said he explained the importance of the bill on road the users' tax to leaders of public transport groups during their meeting in Malacañang last January.

"I have already discussed this matter with the officials of the various public transport sectors like bus, jeepney, and taxi operators, and... they promised to me they will not raise their fares and there will be no strike," the President said.

Maranan, who was among the public transport leaders who met with President Estrada last month, said the public transport groups are holding on to their commitment to the Chief Executive not to seek a fare increase.

"It is killing the industry," he said. "The government has been imposing upon the transport industry all kinds of taxes, while it could not provide us with safety nets against oil price hike."--