The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today congratulated transport workers for launching a successful nationwide strike, even as it said that "bigger and longer strikes" are needed to compel the Arroyo government and oil companies to rollback "substantially" the prices of petroleum products.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) wishes to congratulate the several hundred thousands of jeepney, bus and tricycle drivers and other transport workers for successfully launching a nationwide strike to push the Arroyo government and oil companies for a substantial rollback in the prices of petroleum products. The show of nationwide unity is commendable.
The strike enjoyed the full support of the Filipino people. The mass of workers and peasants, as well as students, teachers and other professionals are also clamoring for a rollback of oil prices and the scrapping of the oil deregulation law. These demands were vigorously asserted by the strike.
The success of your strike lies in the correctness and urgency of your demands.
We condemn the Arroyo government and the oil companies for refusing to heed the demands you raised. The CPP also condemns the extremely insulting P0.50 discount offered by oil companies.
If the Arroyo government fails to address the demands to roll back oil prices and scrap the oil deregulation law, you may need to prepare to launch bigger and longer strikes in the coming months. Uniting with the rest of the Filipino people will ensure the success of such strikes.
Such strikes are absolutely necessary to compel the callous Arroyo government to heed the demands of the Filipino people.
