A noise barrage will be staged by caused oriented groups on April 9 at the Fountain of Justice in Bacolod City to protest against the spiraling prices of fuel, the rice crisis, and to demand for the implementation of a wage increase.

The activity called “Gahod sg Gutom” will be led by members of the KADAMAY, Kilusang Mayo Uno-Negros, and the National Federation of Sugar Workers.        

Ronald Ian Evidente, KMU-Negros spokesperson yesterday said they will submit a petition to the Bacolod City Council on April 16 to ask the government to provide direct rice subsidy for the urban poor communities in the city.

They will also ask the government to come up with a program that will give assistance to the urban poor communities who are receiving low wages, he said.

Evidente said the International Rice Research Institute said there is a rice crisis in the country even if the government will not admit it. The rice crisis is caused by land conversion and import liberalization, he said.  The National Food Authority is importing rice from the U.S. instead of buying the produce of the local farmers, he added.

Dan Alcoriza of COURAGE-Negros, said they are also pushing for a P125 daily wage increase for the private workers and P3,000 across-the-board salary increase per month for government workers. This was filed by Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Party and Anak Pawis Party List in Congress, he said, and they want to continue demanding for its implementation.

Evidente said they have also filed a petition for a P125 wage increase before the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board regional office and are urging all congressmen, particularly Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, to push for the approval the wage hike in the House of Representatives to uplift the economic condition of his constituents and of the working class nationwide.

Rommel Santillan, chairman of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center, said PISTON has filed a petition for P1 fare hike before the LTFRB Manila last month because of the increase in the prices of fuel. However, other transport groups are demanding for P1.50.

Santillan said that if the government will not listen to their demand they will take extra legal actions so their sentiments will be heard. Unless the Oil Deregulation Law is not repealed or scrapped, the people will continue to suffer, he said.

Meanwhile, a resolution requesting the mayor to create a task force or special committee composed of various line agencies of the government including the business community and private sector, as well as non-government organizations, in preparation for the eventual rice shortage is being proposed by Councilor Alex Paglumotan.

The proposed resolution says that, despite the National Food Authority’s insistence that the province of Negros Occidental is assured of 1.4 million bags of rice for 61 days,  there is no guarantee of sufficient supply of rice for the whole year.

Its purpose is for the city to take action against any attempt by unscrupulous personalities to hoard the supplies of rice, the resolution said.*CGS

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