Transport groups seek removal of fuel VAT

MANILA, Philippines — Transport groups called yesterday for the removal of the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes on petroleum products, as they staged a two-day strike in various parts of the country.

Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena called on the government to expedite the removal of the excise tax and VAT on petroleum products.

“The transport system is gradually dying. The war is not our enemy but the businessmen that are taking advantage of this crisis in the Middle East,” Valbuena told reporters yesterday.

Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) national president Mody Floranda echoed Valbuena’s sentiments, saying: “They should immediately remove the fuel taxes – not just suspend but remove it. For the longest time, this did not help the Filipino people.”

They also pushed for a rollback of fuel prices to P55 per liter, fare increases across all transport modes and the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law.

Piston’s 100 strike centers held their respective protest actions in Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Pampanga, Bulacan, Baguio, Albay, Naga, Iloilo, Aklan, Bacolod, Cebu, General Santos City, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro among others.

Jeepneys were not alone as they were joined by groups from public utility buses, Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS), motorcycle taxis and tricycles sectors.

They urged other drivers to join the strike, warning that rising oil prices continue to erode their industry and income.

Aside from a transport strike, MANIBELA also gathered at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City while Piston, joined by students, workers and women’s groups, staged a protest outside the Mutya ng Pasig Mega Market.

“If oil prices continue to spike, not only will the public sector be affected but also the private sector as they might not be able to carry the burden of prices,” Floranda said.

Christopher Maglalang of the TNVS Community of the Philippines said that they are grieving as the national government does not accept the current situation of the country.

“If we do not move, the economy will not move because we all know that transportation is the backbone of our economy,” he said.

PARA Commuters’ Network convenor Nanoy Rafael called on the national government to urge the US government to end the war, which is causing the oil crisis.

“They are the reason why we have an oil crisis. They should let us make our own decisions on how we will use our resources. They should stop interfering in other countries,” he said.

Kabataan Rep. Renee Co and Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago said that they have filed a measure seeking to repeal the oil deregulation law, hoping to control the prices of fuel.

Elago noted that they have also filed a measure to include gasoline and diesel as a basic commodity in order to impose ceiling prices especially in times of crisis.

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office said transport strikes and rallies in Metro Manila remained peaceful, with no untoward incidents reported as of midmorning.

Various local government units (LGUs), offices and agencies rolled out “Libreng Sakay” contingency measures to assist stranded commuters.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Energy, House of Representatives and other city governments provided free transportation to commuters during the first day of the multimodal transport strike.

DOTr said 20 service vehicles were deployed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), of which 10 are for the Fairview-Quiapo route and the remaining 10 for the SM Masinag-Quiapo route.

The Land Transportation Office deployed 12 units to assist commuters in Philcoa, Commonwealth, Aurora Boulevard, Monumento, Quirino Highway and Fairview.

The Office of the President, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police (PNP) provided buses for routes Philcoa-Cubao, Welcome Rotonda-Cubao, Lawton-Welcome Rotonda, Lawton-PITX, Nagtahan-Cubao and Commonwealth-Fairview.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said they have 1,285 police vehicles ready to provide free rides to stranded commuters. Of the number, 159 are in Metro Manila.

The Malabon LGU deployed at least seven vehicles while Manila employed 12 to provide free rides.

Meanwhile, Valbuena called out a 10-wheeler truck deployed in Manila to assist stranded commuters as it resembled a dump truck.

“What do you think of the people, garbage?” Valbuena said.

Waive penalties

The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is open to waive the penalties for modern jeepney loans, LTFRB said yesterday.

LTFRB chairman Vigor Mendoza II said borrowers must be given some reprieve in the light of financial difficulties due to the Middle East crisis.

“We wrote a letter to the DBP to ask them for a temporary suspension or waiver of penalties imposed on the outstanding loan obligations of transport service entities with delayed payments under the DBP’s Program Assistance to Support Alternative Driving Approaches in view of the ongoing Middle East crisis,” he said.

In response, the DBP said it may consider granting of temporary suspension or waiver of penalties on a case-to-case basis, subject to approval of the approving authorities.

Mendoza expressed gratitude to the DBP for considering the board’s request, saying it would be a big help to each and every operator now struggling to cope with the sudden high operational costs.

Meanwhile, lower courts in Metro Manila dismissed their work early as the first day of a two-day transport strike started yesterday. — Andrew Ronquillo, Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong