From: "Curtis Price" <cansv-AT-igc.apc.org> Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 11:05:17 +0000 Subject: AUT: (Fwd) Philippines hit by transport strike against oil prices ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 03:19:37 -0700 From: NewsHound <NewsHound-AT-hound.com> Reply-to: NewsHound-AT-hound.com Subject: Philippines hit by transport strike against oil prices NewsHound article from "STRIKES" hound, score "79." Philippines hit by transport >>strike<< against oil prices MANILA, Aug. 8 (Kyodo) -- Protesters held a one-day nationwide transport >>strike<< and rallies Friday to denounce the recent oil price increases and the July 11 devaluation of the Philippine peso. In metropolitan Manila, classes at elementary and high schools were suspended early Friday morning in anticipation of the transport >>strike<<. Most universities and colleges also suspended classes. By mid-morning strikers had formed human barricades in major thoroughfares to block the traffic and dissuade nonstriking drivers from plying their routes. At least 2,000 protesters marched toward Malacanang presidential palace in the afternoon to put forth their demands of an oil price rollback, the repeal of the government's oil deregulation policy and the increase in >>workers<<' salaries by 100 pesos (about 3.5 dollars). The Metro Manila Development Authority said the >>strike<< only affected a few major routes in the metropolis, while the suspension of classes combined with the 50 or so government buses and trucks used to ferry stranded passengers minimized the effects of the >>strike<<. In the cities of Butuan and Davao on the southern island of Mindanao, at least 90% of public transportation was crippled, according to police reports, while in Iligan, 30% of public transport was affected. Rallies were also held in Naga and Legaspi, in the southern part of Luzon island, and in Cebu on the central island of Visayas. ''The continuing callousness of President (Fidel) Ramos to the plight of the Filipino people only proves the government's connivance with oil monopolies and their subservience to imperialist dictates,'' said Ronel Abila, secretary general of the Confederation for the Unity and Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, a government >>workers<<' union. The three major oil companies in the Philippines raised oil prices last week citing the devaluation of the peso on July 11. ------------------------------------------------------------ NewsHound is a service of Knight-Ridder, Inc. For more information, write to: speak-AT-hound.com This material is copyrighted and may not be republished without permission of the originating newspaper or wire service. ------------------------------------------------------------ For more information, visit the NewsHound website at http://www.newshound.com or send an email to speak-AT-hound.com. --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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