By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government will likely retain the four-day workweek schedule not due to COVID-19 but because of rising fuel prices.
This, as the Negros Consumers Watch said in a press conference Monday that they will hold a transport strike dubbed “People’s Holiday-Untat Byahe” on March 21-22, 2022.
Lacson said they were supposed to revert to the five-day workweek once the province’s COVID-19 alert level deescalates to Alert Level 1.
But it seems even the provincial government is feeling the pinch of the recent oil price hikes, the governor said.
Lacson said that a bidding for fuel supply for the province was held but the price was the old price that is lower than the current prices.
“I have to discuss the situation with the suppliers,” he said.
Lacson is also due to meet with department heads in preparation for the March 21 to 22 transport holiday.
The governor said he will encourage them to resort to carpooling so that the provincial government’s operations and services will not be hampered.
In a statement, Negros Consumers Watch Stand Up-Bacolod said that because of the continuing increase in the prices of basic commodities, especially fuel products, a unity forum was held with private institutions, church people, BPOs, professionals and the transport sector.
It said that it was agreed to hold People’s Protest through the People’s Holiday nga Untat Byahe to call the attention of the national government to the plight of the people amid the skyrocketing price of fuel products.
The Untat Byahe will start at 3 a.m. on March 21, 2022 until March 22, 2022 at 3 pm.
The activity will culminate at the Bacolod public plaza for an Ecumenical Prayer Rally.
