GSD File Photo by Cong B. Corrales
- Advertisement -

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
and CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor .

AT least a dozen organizations of motorela owners and drivers over the weekend sought an increase in motorela fares here.

- Advertisement -

They also asked the city council to repeal City Ordinance 11670-2010 that set the motorela fares here at P6 for the general public, P5 for students and senior citizens, and P3 for children.

The fares, they said, should be increased by P1 given the series of fuel-price increases. But their demand is based on the premise that fuel prices would not shoot up beyond P50 per liter.

As this developed, the Kilusang Mayo Uno in northern Mindanao slammed the Duterte administration again as it complained about the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law on the prices of basic commodities.

In a statement, KMU spokesperson for northern Mindanao Wildon Barros said the government should focus on finding a way to lower the prices of basic commodities.

Among the organizations that petitioned for an increase in motorela fares in the city are the Camaman-an Motorela Operators-Drivers Association, Cagayan  de Oro, Consolacion, Gaisano Motorela Operators-Drivers Association, Cagayan de Oro Nazareth Motorela Operators Drivers Association, and Macanhan Motorela Operators-Drivers Association, among others. The groups are under the umbrella of an alliance called “MP3” or “Makatarungang-Usbaw sa Pletihan alang sa Pamilya ug Pasahero.”

Ringo Lago, a director of the  Cagayan de Oro Motorela Operators-Drivers Association, said MP3 has about two thousand members from various associations.

Lago said MP3 has also asked Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr., chairman of the city council’s public utilities committee, to start public hearings on the demanded motorela fare increase.

“Nagla-om kami nga matubag unta ang among petition sa labing dali nga  panahon,” Lago said.

“Nganong busy man kaayo si Duterte ug ka-alyado niini sa ubang mga butang nga mas dapat gani unta ilang atimanon ang katawhang kabus, mga mamumuo, mag-uuma, mga driver, vendors nga apektado sa makapatay nga Train Law?” KMU’s Barros asked rhetorically.

Barros cited the latest pronouncement of the Philippine Statistics Authority that the Train Law has been the foremost reason for the rise in the inflation rate in the country, the highest since 2014 at 4.5 percent.

Barros also took to task the Department of Finance’s claim that it would subsidize P200 to 10 million Filipinos who have been affected by the Train Law.

“Nganong bulan pa sa Marso ang paghatag sa hinabang nga Enero pa nabati na nato ang kapait sa Train Law? Gani dili pa tin-aw ang pamaagi sa bag-ong listahan sa mga benipisyaryo nga mokabat og 2.6 million households nga sa Agosto pa makadawat ilabina na kay nagsing-abot na ang May election. Basin magamit kini sa partisan politics,” he said.

Barros said the Duterte administration should take the coming Lent as an opportunity to “repent for its ‘sins’ to the people.”

“Paghinulsol sa ilang mga sala ug dawaton nga nasayop sila sa pagpasabalaod sa Train Law ug sa ilang pagbasol i-scrap nila ang Train Law, ihunong na ang patakarang ‘Endo’ (end of contract), isabalaod ang national minimum wage sa mamumuo nga P16,000 (public sector) ug P750 (private sector) ug ihunong ang jeep ug PUV phaseout,” said Barros.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -