The recent double-digit oil price hike in the Philippines on April 12 puts more burden on Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers.
Based on the Department of Energy oil price watch, the per-liter net increase of petroleum prices stood at gasoline P15, diesel P25.65, and kerosene P21.10.
Pedro Soriano, a PUV driver in Baguio City, said most of what they earn in a day goes to oil expenses. “Nakaapekto saamin, especially kaming mga PUV [drivers], itong pagtaas ng petroleum products,” Soriano said, “’Yung kinayod namin maghapon ’pag nag-gas up ka na bago ka mag garahe, kalahati na ng inuuwi mo dati.”
He said that before, if they could still bring home at least P800 daily, now, they could only bring back P400 because of the price hike.
Joseph Parocha, a jeepney driver in Baguio City, shared the same sentiment, saying that he spends an extra P500 on petroleum instead of taking it home.
Parocha said, “Konti na lang naiiwan [na kita]. ’Yung ngayon [nabawasan] ng P500. E’di wala na, yung limang daan malaki na sana ’yun. ’di ba. “
Another jeepney driver, Isagani*, whose income only tallies from P250 to P300 because of the hike, called out the government for their neglect toward PUV drivers.
“Ang tagal nang tumaas ng krudo, halos wala pa ring nangyayari,” he said. “Pakiramdam ko, binabalewala ng gobyerno [kaming] mga jeepney drivers.”
On March 11, the Malacanang announced the release of fuel subsidies to the Department of Transportation intended for 377,443 beneficiaries of the Fuel Subsidy Program amidst the soaring oil prices.
However, Soriano said that the P6,500 he received from the P2.5 billion fuel subsidy was only enough to cover five days of expenses as they spend more than P1,000 on diesel per day.
Furthermore, he said that there is problem in distribution.“Parang ayaw nga [nilang] [ipamahagi ang fuel subsidy], eh,” he added, “Kung pwede sila makalusot, ilulusot nila yan.”
To attempt saving the PUV drivers’ welfare, transport groups 1-UTAK, Pasang Masda, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, and Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas urged for a P1 hike in transport fare.
This fare hike, Isagani said, would provide their public service a well-deserved compensation. “Kaya pwede siguro naman i-order ng LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) na dagdagan naman nila ng kahit konti lang para meron kaming pang abono sa mga krudo.”
The LTFRB rejected the transport groups’ petition, however, saying that it had to “balance the rights of the riding public who are mostly dependent on the public transport system vis-a-vis the right of the operators to financial returns”
Meanwhile, Parocha said that the government must remove excise tax first instead of a fare hike, which would only burden commuters.
“Mas maganda na alisin na lang nila ang excise tax para mabawasan kahit konti yung [presyo ng] krudo,” he said.
According to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), excise tax is a tax on the production, sale or consumption of a commodity.
The RA 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN law) fueled the excise tax on petroleum products.
*Editor's note: real names are hidden behind pseudonyms.
Comentarios