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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Gathering 5,000 signatures, a walk and an information drive in different schools and universities in Cebu are on top of the list of activities of the Coalition Against Oil Price Increase (Caopi) to kick off its campaign to stop oil price increases.
The coalition, which reconvened last June 9, will initially gather at least 5,000 signatures in Cebu to support its resolution asking Congress to pass the bills aimed at lowering the prices of fuel.
Leny Ocasiones, one of the spokespersons for Caopi, said conveners of the coalition passed on Saturday a resolution that supports five House bills intended to stop oil price increases.
She said that before Caopi will forward the resolution to Congress, it will first gather the 5,000 signatures to show that Cebuanos were united in calling for a stop to the oil price increases.
After gathering the 5,000 signatures, which will be attached to the resolution, Caopi will continue with the signature drive.
The bills Caopi are supporting are House Bill (HB) 1742, which seeks to scrap the downstream oil deregulation law of 1998; HB 3029, which regulates the downstream petroleum industry; HB 3030, which institutes a centralized procurement of petroleum in the country; HB 3031, which re-nationalizes Petron Corp.; and HB 3442, which removes value-added tax on petroleum products.
Caopi also plans to hold a protest walk against oil price increases which will be participated in by the different sectors of society before July 15.
“Di na gyud maantos ang pagmahal sa lana, unya ang sweldo mao ra gihapon (We can no longer stand the oil price increases when our salary stays the same),” Ocasiones said.
The Caopi is still finalizing the date and the venue of the walk. However, Ocasiones said the activity will be held before July 15.
Conveners of Caopi will also visit schools and universities and conduct an information drive about their cause.
Ocasiones said that five days after Caopi was reconvened on June 9, new institutions and organizations joined the coalition.
“I think there are already 20 organizations in Caopi,” Ocasiones said. /Reporter Nilda Gallo
