NR1124:Lawmakers, transport groups and consumers unite against oil deregulation

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release November 24, 2005House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
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Lawmakers, transport groups and consumers unite against oil deregulation; chastise Congress for failure to address worsening oil crisis

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today sponsored a public forum in the House of Representatives on the worsening oil crisis brought about by the unending oil price hikes. He was joined by invited guests Sen. Jamby Madrigal; Mr. Cris Elgario, President pf the LPG Dealers Association of the Philippines; Prof. Danilo Arao, spokesperson of Kontra-Kartel; Mr. Arnold Padilla of the independent IBON Foundation; Mar Garvida, president of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (PISTON); and Carmen Deunida, National chairperson of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap.

Also invited were spokespersons from the oil companies Shell, Caltex, Petron and small dealers Total Philippines and Flying V. Solons sympathetic to the call for the junking of oil deregulation have also been invited.

Sen. Madrigal has been invited to share her stand on oil deregulation and the oil prices hikes. Sen. Madrigal is the author of the bill scrapping oil deregulation in the Senate.

Beltran said that Congress has not prioritized legislative measures that aim to solve the worsening oil crisis. He said that there were already pending bills calling for the scrapping of the oil deregulation law and the nationalization of the local oil industry. “There is a pressing need to review oil deregulation. The impact on consumers and drivers are already devastating. Small oil players are also negatively affected by oil deregulation.”

“Congress has acted on none of these measures. It’s a great disservice to consumers and the rest of the Filipino people that Congress continues to ignore the strong clamor for the review and scrapping of the oil deregulation law. This infamous law is at the core of the relentless oil price hikes that consequently send the prices of basic commodities and rates of utility services such as electricity and transportation soaring, “he said.

“The relentless oil price hikes are taking their vicious toll on the public. Jeepney drivers organizations cannot be blamed for wanting to raise transport fares because of the high gasoline prices. Consumers, in the meantime, are ill-equipped to cope with the increasing costs of prices of basic goods. What is the government doing about this? Nothing! All we hear from the Department of Energy are roundabout explanations that head nowhere and resort to nothing. The measly rollbacks and discounts on oil and petroleum in certain gas stations in the Metropolis are essentially useless,” he said. #