Call for Cabinet to take bus is cheap publicity - group

MANILA, Philippines - A fisherfolk alliance on Wednesday said that Malacañang's call for Cabinet members to take public transports to save on fuel bills smacks of a cheap publicity stunt. The reaction came from Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), hours after Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that the public should not be surprised if they see Cabinet members taking the public transport on their way to work. "Do you expect the Filipino public to buy this cheap publicity stunt? The Palace paid propagandists are resorting to the much abused populist attack to win the hearts and minds of the people. But the trouble is this government, as always, (is that it) lacks credibility and is merely taking us on another roller-coaster ride," Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement. Ermita had issued the call for Cabinet members, adding that the government would be able to save billions of pesos in fuel bills if government - which has 80,000 vehicles - would save at least one liter of gasoline or diesel per day. The recommendation for government vehicles to use one liter less a day was made by Philippine National Oil Company- Development Management Corp. (PNOC-DMC) chairman and former senior deputy executive secretary Waldo Flores. Ermita said that such actions should not be branded as "overacting" adding that it "can very well happen". But Hicap said Ermita's remark was really just for a super roadshow presentation. "In fact, it is extremely mission impossible. This government with unstoppable and continuing records of high crime of corruption might just do it for political show on the first day and probably on the second and third day. But expect them to renege their promise on the fourth day and thereafter," the Pamalakaya leader added. - GMANews.TV