Region wide transportation strike planned for 29th July

Another region-wide transportation strike was called for in the Philippines on 28 July 2008. The strike, which is due to begin on 29 July, is in protest of the continuously increasing price of fuel. The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or United Organizations of Drivers and Operators Nationwide (PISTON), stated that its affiliate, the Condor-Piston (Concerned Drivers and Operators for Reform-Bicol), will initiate a two-day strike beginning at midnight on 29 July. PISTON indicated that it will initiate additional region-wide strikes if the value-added tax (VAT) is not removed and that it will continue escalating its opposition against the government should it not comply with PISTON's demands. Transportation strikes last week by the Southern Tagalog Transport Sector Organization-Piston in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon paralyzed more than 50 percent of the transport in the cities.