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"We find it revolting that Meralco is the No. 1 corporation in the country in terms of profits while the Philippines is No. 1 in Asia in terms of costly electricity rates.”
The farmers were living peacefully, tilling the land to feed their families until two private companies began evicting them and claimed their land.
Citing financial statements culled from past public consultations with DOTC and train operators, RILES Network said the real cost of a single ride ticket, which already covers the maintenance and operation, is only P9.50 ($0.21). What the government has been “subsidizing” is the difference between the current fare and the P60 ($1.35) per passenger fare it guaranteed to private concessionaires.
"Unjust and immoral pass-on charges manifest the failure of the Concession Agreement between Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water to provide affordable water rates to the consuming public." – Bayan Muna House Resolution No.39
“There is no product to export (once) we’ll be flooded with (ASEAN products); all the farmers will be jobless here,” said Phil Export XI executive director Conrado T. Hernaez in a press conference at Marco Polo Hotel Wednesday.
“There are more than enough grounds for the rates to go down if regulators will really disallow the charging of questionable items such as the income taxes of the two water concessionaires.” – Renato Reyes, Bayan
“Now, with the excuse that it has not completed its dam rehabilitation, Philex once again wants to extend its operations. The real reason behind this is to rake in billions of pesos from their operation while subjecting our people to possibly another flooding and disaster.” – Kalikasan PNE
The picketing workers asked: why did the labor department issue an injunction order against their supposed strike, when the company has locked them out in the first place? The workers said they are not on strike but in protest of their illegal lockout. Read also:Pentagon steel workers decry 'treachery' of PTGWO leaders ;
KMU slams arrest of labor leader in Pentagon skirmish
Their rights ignored by the management, the labor federation their union supposedly belongs to, and the Labor department, the workers of Pentagon Steel had no other option but to fight for their rights.
This year, private water concessionaires are up for ‘rate rebasing,’ meaning they would substantially increase water rates to pass on the costs of their planned projects, some of which would not be implemented but will be charged to consumers anyway. This is aside from the usual rate increases.
Read also: Metro Manila experience: Poor water service, unjustified rate hike petition
“It’s as if the oil companies just took a break (from hiking prices) in the run-up to the elections to give the Malacañang candidates a chance to prettify themselves, especially since Noynoy was personally campaigning for the administration slate.” – Piston
Like Cesar Muanag, the latest worker to die, the other victims of electrocution in the Philippines’ biggest oil palm plantation were all “casual” employees despite having worked there from two to 12 years.
“No money, no service” is how the Anakpawis Partylist described the effects of “Aquino’s rotten policy when it comes to the people’s right to social services.”
Related story Patients, health workers join protests against privatization of gov’t hospitals
By MARYA SALAMAT
“Not only is there a dearth of jobs in the country, there is a dearth of decent jobs. More and more Filipinos are unhappy with jobs that offer meager wages and contractual status and deny workers their legitimate rights.” – Elmer Labog, KMU
If the Aquino government is willing to incur more debts to guarantee the profits of whoever will win the LRT1 project, why can’t it incur those debts for investing instead in LRT's expansion?
By MARYA SALAMAT
A threat to life and the environment; a green light to more human rights violations; a case of bullying by the national government on the local government, which banned open pit mining; and most likely, a case of high-stakes corruption. This is how progressive groups describe the granting of an ECC to SMI-Xstrata.
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