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Drivers and operators from the transportation sector slammed the Duterte administration’s plan to distribute a 200-peso monthly for the whole year as ayuda for the 50% poorest  families, saying that it was not enough to make up for the skyrocketing  gas prices. 

“Sa pagbibigay ng 200, kulang na ang oras at pera naming gagastusin sa pamasahe at gasolina papunta sa kinukuhanan ng ayuda.  Sayang lang sa gasolina, sayang pa sa oras,” said Henry Herida, a taxi driver and father of a Political Science freshie from UP Diliman. 

President Duterte approved the plan on Wednesday, March 16, after the Department of Finance (DOF) recommended the P33.1-billion subsidy for the “bottom 50 percent of all Filipino households.”

“Pipila pa kami. Yung ilang oras na paghintay at pagpila, gagamitin na lang namin sa paghanap ng iba pang pasahero. Nadagdagan pa kita namin,” Herida resented.

IBON Director Sonny Africa criticized the Duterte government’s P200-ayuda as insulting. “The economic managers are being stingy with money that isn’t even theirs to begin with,” Africa added.

An Unprecedented Burden

“Sobrang bigat na pasanin ang pagtaas ng gasolina at tila wala naman silang ginagawa para sa aming nasa kalsada. Ang lahat ng income na nakukuha namin sa isang araw napupunta lang sa gasolina. Doble ang pagtaas ng presyo, pero ang flagdown rate ng metro 40 pesos pa rin. Hindi rin naman kayang itaas ang presyo ng pamasahe dahil lugmok ang ekonomiya,” complained Herida.

Drivers are complaining because of the record-breaking oil prices ranging from P70-90 per liter. On Tuesday, March 15, prices hiked by P13.15 per liter of diesel, P10.50 per liter of kerosene, and P7.10 per liter of gasoline in Caltex, Petron, Cleanfuel, PTT Philippines, Seaoil, Unioil, and Flying V. 

“Para sa aming nagmamay-ari mismo ng taxi na pinapasada, sobrang bigat na. Mas nakakaawa talaga para sa mga ibang drayber na nagrerenta lang. Hindi sapat ang kanilang kita para sa renta, gasolina, at pang-araw-araw na badyet ng kanilang pamilya,” he added.

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) held transport strike held a transport strike in various areas on the same day. 

Militant transport group Piston condemned Duterte as “matakaw sa buwis, barat sa ayuda” claiming that the meager ayuda is an insult to taxpayers. They called for the end of the oil industry monopoly, wage hike, and adequate financial aid.

Drivers only take home around P300 per day after working 18 hours, Piston said, while the additional costs of the oil price hike is estimated at P600 per day.

Different progressive groups such as Gabriela, Anakpawis Partylist, and Kilusang Mayo Uno also protested. “Apektado na nito ang buong bayan, mula sa pagbyahe ng mga produkto mula probinsya tungong mga palengke, sa mga may-ari ng maliliit na negosyo, at sa mga magsasaka at mangingisdang gumagamit ng krudo,” KMU said in a statement. 

They urged the government to respond to the price hikes quickly, saying that the lack of solutions and deafness to calls for a response are criminal offenses against the people. 

No More Band-Aid Solutions

Many drivers have criticized the government’s focus on fuel subsidies because it would not be of much help in the long run. 

“Huwag na sana nilang pag-aksayahan ang badyet para sa band-aid na solusyon. Tanggalin na nila agad ang excise tax at TRAIN law. Para sa aming mga drayber, malaki na ang epekto ng pag-alis nito, kahit kalahati lang nga, hindi na kami masyadong mahihirapan pa,” said Herida. 

DOF justified their reluctance to cut taxes on oil, claiming that it would “benefit more the people who have cars and the other richer people.” Many have criticized this response, saying that the subsidies would be nowhere near enough without the tax cuts.

Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said that the government should opt for the suspension of taxes on oil instead of dole outs because of the government’s bad experience and capacity in handing out financial aid to its citizens.

The department also said that cutting excise taxes would gut the government income, but progressive groups urged the government to go after tax-evaders instead of the already-struggling public.

“Ang panawagan natin, tanggalin ang buwis sa langis para lahat ng Pilipino ay makinabang at mabilis ang maging epekto, kagyat na ginhawa.  Halos 27 pesos ang makakaltas kapag tinanggal ang buwis sa langis. Lalo pa’t linggo linggo ang pagtaas ng langis at inaasahang tataas pa. Kulang na kulang ang P200 ayuda,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog.

Several presidential candidates have echoed these calls. Vice President Leni Robredo said that there was “no time to waste” and called on Congress to act on the matter immediately.

Alongside calls for tax suspensions, progressive groups are also urging the government to raise the national minimum wage to 750 to compensate for the rising cost of living. They also call for an end to the Ramos-era Oil Deregulation Law and for the government to take back Petron.

However, the Duterte government rejected these proposals and opted for the P200 ayuda because those demands will cause inflation and loss of revenue to the government even though it has yet to collect P203-billion tax liabilities from their political ally, the Marcoses.

Aside from rising oil prices, jeepney drivers and operators are facing the high costs of operation and lockdowns halting and diminishing their trips prompting many to just ask for alms and the pending jeepney phaseout in favor of imported e-jeeps.

#OhMyGasAngTaas

Featured image courtesy of ABS-CBN News