MANILA, Philippines ? A uniform diesel price of P28 per liter has been proposed by a militant group amid the recent increases enforced by oil companies.

In a text message, George San Mateo, secretary general of the
Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or United Organizations of Drivers and Operators Nationwide (Piston), said that the ceiling should be implemented not only in Luzon but in the Visayas and Mindanao as well.

?Both Visayas and Mindanao were also devastated by typhoons in the past and, until now, people in these areas are still having difficulty with their lives,? San Mateo said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently signed Executive Order 839, imposing a ceiling on fuel prices in Luzon because of the recent calamities. The EO prompted several oil companies to roll back fuel prices.

But in Visayas and Mindanao regions, San Mateo claimed that diesel price went up by as much as P1.85 per liter, causing the price of diesel there to balloon to P39 per liter.

?We are asking Malacañang to set the current diesel price in Metro Manila of P28 per liter to be the uniform diesel price across the country,? San Mateo stressed.

The group also reiterated its call for the junking of the oil deregulation law, which has been the group?s long-standing demand.