Pangilinan: Agad na suspindihin buwis sa krudo at ibigay ayuda sa mga tsuper, magsasaka, mangingisda

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Sunday renewed calls for the government to immediately suspend excise tax on oil products to ease the burden and shock of another oil price increase this week.

Pangilinan also reiterated his earlier appeal to the government to give fuel subsidy to heavily affected sectors such as transport, farmers, fisherfolk, and the basic commodity-producing sectors.

This coming Tuesday, the prices of diesel will increase by P1.80 to P1.90 per liter, while gasoline will increase by P1.40 to P1.50 per liter, the Unioil Philippines said in a forecast. Tuesday's projected increase is the 4th straight week that local oil companies are raising pump prices due to a seven-year high peak in the global oil prices.

"Anuman pagtaas sa presyo ng langis ay may immediate impact sa pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain at basic commodities. Ang mahihirap ang makakaramdam agad-agad ng pagsipa ng presyo ng mga bilihin," Pangilinan said.

For the entire 2021, prices had a total net increase of P17.65 per liter for gasoline, while P14.30 per liter for diesel and P11.54 per liter for kerosene, the Department of Energy said.

"Dapat unahin ang pagbibigay ng fuel subsidy sa mga tsuper ng jeepneys, buses, tricycles. At gayun din sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Malaki bahagi ng gastos nila ay napupunta sa pagbili ng krudo," Pangilinan said.

The suspension of excise tax on oil products will immediately mitigate the negative impact of oil price surge, he said.

"Bababa ang presyo ng krudo at iba pang fuel products kapag sinuspinde ang excise tax on fuel prices," he said.

"Sana huwag ng magpatumpik-tumpik ang gobyerno sa pagbibigay ng cash grants o cash subsidy sa mga tsuper ng transport sector. Isama na rin ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda na tiyak na apektado ng pagtaas ng presyo ng fuel sa Martes," Pangllinan said.

It is estimated that 70 percent of the total expenses of fishermen is cornered by fuel used in running their fishing boats.

"Wala na nga halos kita ang magsasaka at mangingisda ngayon, tapos sisipa pa ang presyo ng fuel. Dagdag na kalbaryo at pahirap ito sa kanila," Pangilinan said.

"In the end, tayong lahat at tatamaan ng hambalos ng fuel price increase. Lalo itong magdudulot ng gutom at pahirap sa gitna ng pandemya," he said.