July 9, 2008

“Enough is enough. We are walking out against government inaction, corruption and tyranny.”

This was the statement of Vencer Crisostomo, National Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) as they announced their planned mass walkouts vs price hikes tomorrow and on July 18.

Thousands of students from major universities and campuses nationwide are expected to participate in the walk-out protests led by youth groups LFS, Anakbayan, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), Kabataang Pinoy Party and other youth groups.

The walk-outs will feature demands for a nationwide P125 wage increase for workers, scrapping of the oil deregulation law, lifting of the Value Added Tax, as well as calls for the removal of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as President.

“This government is in cahoots with big monopolies in robbing billions of pesos from the Filipino people. We hold the government accountable for the crisis at present for refusing to heed previous calls opposing privatization, deregulation and liberalization policies,” said Crisostomo.

VAT for Corruption

Adding to the youth and people’s outrage, Crisostomo said, is the government’s “continuing corruption and immorality amidst the people’s suffering.”

“The reason the administration refuses to lift VAT is mainly because they want more money to steal from the people. This has nothing to do with the economy. Never mind that the people are suffering, never mind the poverty and hunger. They have no conscience,” he said.

The LFS also expressed opposition to the fare increase approved by the government yesterday, saying the P.50 increase will be a burden to commuters and will not address even the problems of the jeepney drivers.

Fair decrease not fare increase

“Even the drivers are saying that the increase will not be enough. Instead of ‘fare increase’, the government should instead implement a ‘fair decrease’ in profits of the big oil companies by regulating the prices and repealing the VAT,” he said.

According to reports, Petron alone declared more than P6 billion in profits in 2007. This, according to Crisostomo is “ridiculous” as it amounts to P600,000 in profits if computed per hour.

“There is clearly a moral imperative to regulate if this is the case. It is already common knowledge that big oil companies overprice their petroleum products. Will we favor the profiteering of a few monopolies over the people’s welfare?” said Crisostomo. #

Reference: Vencer Crisostomo, LFS National Chairperson, 09228262606