Fuel prices make P1 added fare practically useless – Piston

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s P1 provisional fare hike last week has become “practically useless” as oil companies jacked up oil prices anew this week, leaving drivers with financial losses projected to be as high as P2,500, transport coalition Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) said yesterday.

Piston said jeepney drivers are expected to lose around P1,700 to P2,250 in their daily income as diesel prices increased by as much as P4.30 per liter yesterday.

On Monday, oil companies announced they would hike gasoline prices by P2.15 per liter, diesel by P4.30 per liter and kerosene by P4.85 per liter. This is on top of last week’s hikes that saw diesel increase by P6.55 per liter, gasoline by P2.70 per liter and kerosene by P5.45 per liter.

“Since January this year, diesel prices have increased by P41.15. This is equivalent to around P1,100 to P1,400 of daily income loss for jeepney drivers,” said Piston national president Modesto Floranda. With these diesel costs, he projected drivers would be lucky to take home P350 daily, while some would not be able to earn anything anymore.

“For instance, a jeepney driver who consumes around 20 liters within 12-16 hours of driving in a day can earn an additional P300 to their daily net income. Still far from the P1,087 per day family living wage needed for a family of five to live decently in NCR, but better than nothing,” he said.

Floranda said President Duterte could still help drivers and commuters by issuing an executive order that suspends the collection of excise tax and value-added tax on fuel that “can help drivers save up to P15 per liter in diesel and P19 in gasoline.”

While the LTFRB approved the P1 provisional increase in minimum fare, it has yet to address the petition for a P5 increase in the minimum fare now that the price of diesel can go as high as P95 in some areas this week. The hearing for the petitions is set for later this month.

For its part, militant group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) dared President Duterte to issue an executive order suspending excise tax and VAT on fuel before he steps down from the presidency.

Labor group Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) likewise asked the government to take immediate measures to cushion the impact of continuing oil price hikes, insisting that rising prices of petroleum products should not be passed on to the people.

The militant women’s group Gabriela yesterday staged a protest in Batasan, Quezon City as they called for the removal of oil excise tax, E-VAT and for the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law.

LRT e-shuttle

LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) is extending the route of its electric shuttle service in partnership with mobility-as-a-service company Global Electric Transport (GET) Philippines.

LRMC said the shuttle service route will now be extended to Circuit Makati (Ayala Malls Circuit), with LRT-1 Gil Puyat Footbridge and select areas of Makati Central Business District and Ayala Malls Circuit, as additional loading/unloading points.

This expansion comes after the successful pilot implementation of the electric shuttle service between LRT-1 EDSA Station and the Manila Bay ASEANA area with designated loading/unloading points along Macapagal Boulevard until PITX.

LRT-1 passengers can use the COMET shuttle service by signing up to become members of the LRT-1 Riders Club on the GETPASS App. LRT-1 Riders Club members would enjoy COMET shuttle free unlimited rides from June 15 to 30. Regular charge will resume on July 1.

COMET electric buses operate from Monday to Saturday, except holidays. First trips leave PITX at 6 a.m. and Circuit Makati at 8 a.m. Last trips are scheduled at 5 p.m. at PITX and 7 p.m. at Circuit Makati.

More difficulties

The country may have mostly recovered from the adverse effects of the global health crisis, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February may bring more difficulties in the months ahead, House Deputy Speaker Isidro Ungab warned yesterday.

“We foresee difficult times ahead, and it is up to us if we can safely ride it through and survive or go unprepared and succumb to the strong financial distress being experienced globally,” Ungab said.

The Davao City congressman advised Filipinos to “be prepared and must wisely plan on how to budget their income and expenses for the next months.”

“The country braces itself for turbulent economic times ahead,” he said, as the country faces a worldwide increase in inflation rate, skyrocketing gas prices, looming food shortage and, on top of all these, another possible spike in COVID-19 cases. – Richmond Mercurio, Mayen Jaymalin, Rhodina Villanueva, Delon Porcalla