MikeLigalig.com

By Jonathan de Santos | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom – 32 minutes ago


President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III cannot afford to rest on his high trust ratings, a coalition against oil price increases launched on Monday warned.

If left unaddressed, the rising cost of fuel may see Aquino's popularity disappear, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teddy Casino said. He said rising fuel issues cause hunger and is not just a "political issue."

Barangay chairman Francisco Mariezeta III from Sampaloc, Manila, told reporters he is opposing oil price hikes because they were affecting the peace and order situation in his village. He said he had to mediate between a husband and wife who were fighting because there was no dinner on the table. The wife said she was not given enough money to buy cooking gas.

"It's almost election time, isn't it? This is an issue among the voters," he said.

"Not everything can be based on trust ratings," Casino said, referring to a Pulse Asia survey released last week that showed most respondents trusted and approved of the President's performance in the last three months.

Casino, one of the convenors of the multi-sectoral Coalition Against Oil Price Increases (CAOPI), said governmentthe must address rising fuel price. According to the latest Department of Energy price monitor, diesel sells at P46.30 to P49.30 per liter. Gasoline, meanwhile, sells at P55.05 to P61.72 per liter.

"This time, it isn't just Piston (Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide), not just transport groups (that oppose the price increases)," he said. He said CAOPI is the broadest multi-sectoral alliance against oil prices since the late 1990s, when the Oil Deregulation Law was passed.



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'Corruption'

Other critics of government's seeming inaction against high fuel prices had harsher words.

"The Aquino administration's inaction is a form of corruption," Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay, a member of the House minority bloc, said at the same press conference. She said the government has been allowing petroleum companies Petron, Pilipinas Shell, and Chevron to rake in "windfall profits."

This was a sentiment echoed by Leon Peralta of the Anti-Trapo (Traditional Politician) Movement. He said that the issue of oil prices are wrapped up in graft and corruption. "We will investigate this, and if we find proof, we will charge people in the conspiracy to keep oil prices high," he said.

Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano said allowing prices to rise even higher would be "a grave crime against the people." 

Renato Reyes Jr., secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said the government cannot say it is powerless to keep oil prices low.

He said it should use its power to protect the needs and rights of consumers. "The government cannot be helpless," he said.



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These activist groups are living in a world of illusions. When did a Philippine president become an oil tycoon-producer that he can control everything? Even the US Government is at the mercy of oil-producing countries.

Wake up, people. No non-oil producing country can stop the rising cost of fuel, not even America, the most powerful nation of the world.

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