A LARGE transport group is threatening to go on strike this month over the spiraling price of fuel and to press for the junking of the 12-percent expanded value-added tax (E-VAT) on oil products.

If it materializes, this month’s transport strike will be the first to be spearheaded by the biggest transport group, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston).

Piston secretary-general George San Mateo said it will be the first time in the history of transport strikes in the country that cooperatives and all kinds of public-utility vehicles will join the cause.

Like in the March 11 strike, which was the most remembered and considered to be a successful one, this month’s transport strike will see the participation of the Cooperative Transport Organization and the four-wheeled public transports under the Independent Jeepney Federation.

San Mateo said the two groups had already committed to participate in the protest action.

Other transport organizations under the United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak) played a major role in the March 11 strike are also expected to join.

To quell the March 11 strike, President Arroyo ordered the concerned agencies to review all traffic regulations, particularly the single-ticketing system for Metro Manila that drivers and operators have long been asking for.

San Mateo said Piston leaders are in constant talks with transport group leaders, like Zeny Maranan of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associations of the Philippines, to iron out the final date and issues to be tackled in the projected strike.

“Pinag-uusapan namin ni Zeny na kung maaari ay isyu na lang ng oil-price increase at pagbasura sa 12-percent E-VAT ang bibitbitin namin sa transport holiday, huwag na lang isama ang fare-hike issue dahil sa isyung ito ay direktang tatamaan ang publiko,” San Mateo said.

Aside from Maranan, the Piston official said that invitation is open for other transport-group leaders who wish to be part of the biggest transport holiday.

For his part, lawyer Vigor Mendoza, 1-Utak chairman, said he is leaving the decision to the leaders and members under the coalition whether to participate in the Piston-led event, citing the worsening problem hounding the transport sector.

The planned transport holiday, according to San Mateo, is expected to paralyze the operations of passenger jeepneys, buses, taxis, GT Express units and even the three-wheeled vehicles in prime areas of the provinces in the country and Metro Manila.

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A LARGE transport group is threatening to go on strike this month over the spiraling price of fuel and to press for the junking of the 12-percent expanded value-added tax (E-VAT) on oil products.

FOLLOWING the Congress’s ratification of the affordable-medicines law last week, a health official on Monday estimated access to cheaper medicines will be available by the end of the year.

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COMMUNIST guerrillas on Monday killed a police officer and three Army soldiers in separate ambushes in Legazpi City, and North Cotabato, on Monday. 

PILIPINO Telephone Corp. (Piltel), the country’s third largest cellular operator, on Monday said net income for the three months of the year went up by 24 percent to P2.46 billion on the back of higher revenues and lower expenses.