Transport group Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) on Saturday said the P6,500 to P10,000 one-time fuel subsidy is not enough amid increasing pump prices.
“‘Pag tiningnan po natin, ito ay pampatid-uhaw lamang sapagkat sa P6,500 halos apat na araw lamang naico-consume ng ating mga driver at operator lalo na kung ito ay nagkakarga ng 30 liters per day ‘yung ating mga driver,” said PISTON President Mody Floranda in a super radyo dzBB interview on Saturday.
He noted that rising pump prices have resulted in an income loss of P100 per day for drivers.
“Kapag tiningnan po natin sa loob ng 25 days, naglalaro po ito sa mahigit P3,000, ‘yung direct na nawawala. Kaya ‘yun po ‘yung sinasabi po natin ay sa biglang tingin ay makakatulong pero kung titingnan natin sa kabuuan ay wala ring saysay, kasi sa patuloy ngang pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo,” he added.
Floranda believes it would be better if the government considered junking the Oil Deregulation Law or review its provisions. He also urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to issue an executive order to temporarily suspend the high tax on petroleum products.
On Friday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of P3 billion worth of funds to implement the Fuel Subsidy Program for transportation workers affected by rising pump prices.
The DBM said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman approved the release of funding requirements for fuel subsidies for approximately 1.36 million drivers and operators affected by the series of fuel price hikes.
The fuel subsidy comes after oil companies implemented its eighth straight week of upward adjustments for gasoline, and the ninth for both diesel and kerosene this week.
The Budget Department said the release of funds was made upon the request of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and following Special Provision (SP) No. 7 of the DOTr-OSEC agency-specific budget authorized under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Source: PISTON:P6,500-P10,000 fuel subsidy ‘not enough’ (msn.com)