A two-day transport strike in Negros Occidental kicked off today at 6 in the morning. The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) aims to paralyze 90% of the public transportation in the province.
 
Public transportation will not be totally paralyzed, however, as the Federation of Bacolod Drivers Association did not join the strike. Buses from the Vallacar Transit did not join as well.
 
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Negros and UNDOC have set up 19 strike centers in Bacolod and Negros Occidental. They are pushing for the cancellation of the Oil Deregulation Law and the 12% Expanded Value Added Tax on petroleum products.
 
They are also asking for an investigation about the big price difference of petroleum products in Negro Occidental compared to Luzon as well as the nationalization of the oil industry.
 
Police have been deployed in the streets to stop the harassment of drivers who did not join.
 
The strike will last until 6 p.m. tonight and will start again at 6 a.m. tomorrow, until 12:30 in the afternoon. An indignation rally in the Fountain of Justice will follow. Report by Yasmin Pascual-Dormido, ABS-CBN News