By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) yesterday said they will conduct a unity forum with various stakeholders on Thursday afternoon, March 10.

This comes amid a looming strike by the end of March due to the incessant oil price hikes.

UNDOC Secretary-general Diego Malacad said they will discuss with stakeholders as to the validity of their transport stoppage during the strike which will be held for five days.

At present they are still discussing as to where to hold the forum, adding it is usually done 15 days prior to the transport strike.

Among the issues that will be discussed are their demands for the national government to defer the full implementation of the 12 percent value added tax and suspension of the excise tax.

UNDOC will also talk with the local government unit of Bacolod City to recall its endorsement over the transport modernization program.

Gas prices are expected to further soar by as much as P3.80 for gasoline and P5.50 for diesel today.

The incessant increase in fuel prices stemmed over the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.

The Department of Energy, meanwhile, urged consumers to report to the agency oil retail outlets with unreasonable petroleum prices amid the non-stop oil price hikes for the past nine weeks./DGB, WDJ