VEHICULAR traffic in Metro Manila remained normal but leaders of militant groups that declared the nationally coordinated protest actions on Thursday said the transport strike was “successful” even before they started.

Elmer Labog, Kilusang Mayo Uno chairman, said the pronouncement of the Department of Energy that another oil price hike is unlikely to happen until the end of December and the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) Marketers Association’s announcement that LPG prices will be rolled back in the coming days done on the eve of the nationwide protests and transport strike are “clear signs that the government and other concerned parties reacted positively to the demonstrators’ legitimate demands.”

This even as the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), which called for a nationwide “Tigil Pasada” among its members, claimed to have successfully paralyzed transport operations in Davao, General Santos City and some parts of Metro Manila.

KMU, Piston and other militant groups demanded a moratorium on oil price increases, suspension of the oil deregulation law and the removal of the 12-percent value-added tax on oil products. 

“We are again proven right that if a strong collective howl of protests and visible militant actions in the streets are displayed by the Filipinos, the Arroyo government will be forced to listen and act. On the other hand, we should not let our guard down because our experience also teaches us that when the government and oil companies feel that an atmosphere of protest is reduced significantly, a series of oil price hikes are again imposed immediately. We should therefore still push for our  three major demands: the scrapping or repeal of the oil deregulation law, an immediate stop to oil price increases and the removal of the 12 percent value-added tax on oil products,” Labog said.

In Metro Manila, police received reports that a number of militant drivers blocked jeepney drivers who refused to take part in the strike in Monumento but no one was arrested.

Echoing Labog’s declaration, Piston and All Transport Forum Against Oil Price Increase members said Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes’s pronouncements only proved that the government can do something to prevent oil price increases.

Piston said jeepneys plying routes in various parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces stopped ferrying passengers.

Based on Piston’s own assessment, the strike was 90-percent successful in Tanay, Morong, Angono, Binangonan, Cardona, Taytay, and Cainta, in Rizal province; Pasig Tramo; Pasig Palengke, 50-percent successful; Commonwealth and UP, 90 percent; Novaliches, 90 percent; Kamias, 100 percent; Cubao, 80 percent; Pier South, 80 percent; Baclaran, 70 percent; Alabang, 95 percent; Zapote, 90 percent; and Pasay City, 100 percent.

In the provinces, Piston said the strike was 95-percent successful in Davao and Cagayan de Oro cities; 90 percent in General Santos City,  98-99 percent in Iloilo, Roxas City, and Aklan; 90 percent in Negros Occidental; 85 percent-98 percent in Bicol;  90 percent in Santa Cruz, San Pedro and Calamba, in Laguna and 80 percent in the Third District of Batangas, which covers the towns of Tanauan, Santo Tomas and Lipa City.

Passengers were stranded along Rizal Avenue prompting city officials to dispatch vehicles to bring students and teachers to their destinations.

“We received reports that some drivers who joined the strikes are harassing those who did not join them. There were even reports that some put spikes on the roads to sabotage them but these were just reports,” a police investigator at the Caloocan Police Station said.

Leaders of Piston, which led the transport strike, promised that they would not force other drivers to join their protest action.

The Federation of Land Transportation Association of Zamboanga (Feltranz) decided not to join the strike.

“Not today [Thursday],” said Feltranz president Edwin Mingala when asked if the group will join the transport strike.

Mingala said the group decided not to join the strike because its members decided to wait for the outcome of their fare increase petition filed before the regional office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Public transport in key cities in Mindanao came to halt on Thursday as drivers and vehicle operators heeded calls for a nationwide strike.

Director Gomer Dy of the Land Transportation Office of the Davao Region, said only 20 percent joined the Davao City strike by midmorning and Senior Supt. Conrado Laza, deputy regional police director, said he expected jeepney drivers to ply their routes as the day wore on.

Dy said buses were “100 percent on the road.” (With B. Garcia Jr. and M. Cayon)

City officials, Public Works executives in graft cases

THE Ombudsman for the Visayas on Wednesday filed graft charges against Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza and other city officials for the alleged overpriced purchase of personal computer sets and 10 regional officials of the Public Works department for alleged irregularities in the acquisition of surveillance cameras used during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Cebu in January.

VEHICULAR traffic in Metro Manila remained normal but leaders of militant groups that declared the nationally coordinated protest actions on Thursday said the transport strike was “successful” even before they started.

WITH its 2007 collection at risk of not being attained due to reduced imports and exports attributed to the strong peso, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) can console itself this Christmas with its 2006 performance that got it a huge P539-million reward for exceeding its given target of P197 billion by P2.2 billion.

FOR uniting a politically fragmented nation during his fights, boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao was named Ambassador of Peace, along with nine others, Wednesday night at the Quirino Grandstand during the launching of the Global Peace Festival, an international initiative that seeks to forge world peace.

THE National Police is taking an active role in the case monitoring and tracking efforts of Task Force 211, or the Task Force Against Political Violence, created by President Arroyo through Administrative Order 211.

THE Senate moved to reprimand Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon and National Police chief Avelino Razon for snubbing an invitation to testify at an inquiry into the “warrantless arrests” of journalists who covered the November 29 Peninsula Manila Hotel standoff.

THE Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) on Thursday demanded the payment of more than P700 million in unpaid allowances following Malacañang’s announcement of a P10,000 performance bonus each to government workers.