Opposition senators offer ways to tame inflation

Opposition senators offered several solutions on Friday on how the government can address the surge in the inflation rate, as it soared to 6.7 percent in September — the highest since February 2009 when it was at 7.2 percent.

There are six opposition members in the Senate and they are Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes, Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino and Leila De Lima.

“Clearly, now is a time of solutions — concrete, immediate, and devoid of the usual politicking,” they said in a joint statement.

READ: Inflation hits new over 9-year high of 6.7% in September on elevated food prices

To address inflation, the Senate minority said the government should make rice available to all.

“Do away with the exorbitant NFA retailers’ fees for the sale of NFA rice in the supermarkets,” they said. NFA is the National Food Authority.

The senators also suggested halting the second tranche of the excise tax on fuel, the release and raise of government cash transfers and the lowering of the value added tax from the current 12 percent to 10 percent.

The senators also want the government to investigate officials suspected of committing misconduct and hold the corrupt ones accountable.

READ: Bam Aquino, Hontiveros decry 9-year high 6.7% inflation rate

Amid burgeoning economic woes, the country needs a government that “truly works,” not one whose idea of solving problems is to shut those who point these out, they also said.

“When the national house is burning, our people need leaders who can stop the fire, or to show them the way to safety — not leaders whose priority is to sow intrigue and hurl insults,” they said.

“Enough paranoia, enough noise, enough distractions. Our people need a way out of this hardship, and they need it now,” the senators added./ac