Day: July 13, 2009

Jeepney drivers in Litex, Quezon City, brave the rain to denounce the alleged manipulation of oil prices by oil companies. (Photos by Ronalyn V. Olea / bulatlat.com) Related stories: Massive Transport Strike Set on Monday; Groups Denounce Oil Firms’ ‘Greed’ For Jeepney Drivers and Truckers in the Philippines, a Long, Hard Slog Shooting of Transport…

MANILA (Updated) — As progressive transport groups in the Philippines prepared for a nationwide strike to protest the alleged price manipulation of oil prices by oil companies, a leader of one such group was shot early today in Albay province. Joel Ascutia, president of Condor-Piston-Bikol, an organization of jeepney drivers and operators, was shot at…

MANILA – The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) clarified today statements made by the Arroyo administration regarding the resumption of peace negotiations next month. In a press statement released today, Fidel V. Agcaoili, a member of the NDFP negotiating panel, said the government unilaterally announced that it would “lift the suspension” of the…

Ni ROLANDO TOLENTINO Kulturang Popular Kultura Bulatlat.com Ang tawag ng kaibigang Vlad dito ay “life’s little surprises” nang minsan makatanggap ng Penshoppe wallet mula sa kanyang magulang sa gabi ng kanyang graduation sa masteral. Hindi inaasahan, pero dumarating. At di tulad ng masamang balita, ang sorpresa ay tinatanggap nang walang pag-iimbot. Parang napakaswerteng nilalang ni…

Since the Arroyo regime expanded the value-added tax on oil and since the implementation of the oil-deregulation law, most jeepney drivers have to work long hours, often up to 14 hours a day. If they don’t, whatever money they earn for the day will only further enrich the oil companies — and they go home penniless. Think about this the next time you are tempted to curse jeepney drivers for being uncouth, discourteous and undisciplined, as the government is wont to depict them.