Piston expects ‘successful’ tigil-pasada

ANGELES CITY — Leaders of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) are expecting a "highly successful" nationwide transport strike today to press their demand for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law, among other issues.

Waldy Santos, PISTON’s Central Luzon spokesman, said he was basing his forecast on the "overwhelming" support of transport groups allied with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) who relayed their commitments to join the Pambansang Tigil-Pasada in meetings last week.

Santos claimed that even tricycle drivers have pledged to join the transport strike which will be held simultaneously in key cities across the country.

Santos said they will pursue the same demands, including the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law, the rollback of oil prices and the revocation of the government contract with the Manila North Tollways Corp.

"What we want is for the price of diesel to be rolled back to P11.95. We believe there has been a continuing overpricing of fuel products," he said.

In Pampanga, transport leaders in Angeles City and the towns of Guagua, Lubao, Mexico and Sta. Ana vowed "100 percent" participation, while those in the City of San Fernando were divided.

Santos said strikers from all over Central Luzon will converge at Plaza Miranda here at 9 a.m., after which they will hold a protest motorcade. The strike is expected to last from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

He said transport leaders in Pangasinan, Bulacan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija are also mobilizing their members for the strike.

For one, the Bulacan Confederation of Drivers and Operators Association and PISTON vowed to paralyze public transport in major urban centers in the province.

In Davao City, the Transport in Southern Mindanao for Solidarity, Independence and Nationalism-PISTON said at least 33 tricycle and 10 jeepney groups will not ply their usual routes today. — With Edith Regalado, Cesar Ramirez and James Mananghaya