By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Transport group United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) is threatening to go on a five-day strike if their request to temporarily suspend the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) and the excise taxes on fuels are not met.

Diego Malacad, UNDOC secretary-general, said they are planning to go on strike by the end of March if their requests fall on deaf ears.

Malacad said they are now in the process of communicating with the school, church, and business process outsourcing companies as to their planned strike.

Aside from the demands to suspend the 12 percent VAT and the excise tax on fuels, Malacad is also calling for a hike in fares for public utility vehicles (PUV) at P5.00 for national PUVs and P2.50 for provincial PUVs.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers are already calling to either reduce or suspend excise taxes on oil products amid the effects brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Gas prices in the country are expected to further soar by as much as P3.80 for gasoline and P5.50 for diesel this week./DGB, WDJ