Regional strikes may become nationwide

A region-wide transportation strike is scheduled to take place on 24 July 2008 in the Southern Tagalog region, which includes Quezon as well as the islands of Mindoro, Palawan and the Calamian group. Various groups, including the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog (BAYAN) and the Southern Tagalog Transport Sector Organization (STARTER), will participate in the strike to demand that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo resign and that the government abolish the Oil Deregulation Law, a value-added tax (VAT) on oil. Organizers indicated that workers and students will also participate in the protest, which will come a few days before Arroyo's State of the Nation Address on 28 July. Another transport group, Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operations Nationwide (PISTON), affiliated with STARTER, indicated that if the government does not meet the demands, the regional strike could turn into a nationwide one.