Davao groups on fuel subsidy: ‘Better than nothing’

DAVAO CITY—“It’s not even enough but it’s better than nothing,” a public utility jeepney (PUJ) operator said after receiving a fuel subsidy card under the government’s Pantawid Pasada program to help public transport workers cope with increasing fuel costs.

The cards were distributed here on Wednesday by the Department of Energy in ceremonies that were met largely with skepticism by the program’s beneficiaries.

Ruben Sang-an, secretary general of the militant Southeastern Mindanao Diversified Drivers and Operators Coop. (Semddoc), told reporters that the government should do more than just provide subsidy to drivers and operators.

Edel Gonzaga, secretary general of Transmission, another militant transport group, said fuel subsidy was another palliative solution that would not help public transport workers cope with high fuel prices.

“The fuel subsidy is only a waste of government money because it does not offer a long-term solution,” Gonzaga said.

He said instead of distributing subsidy cards, which costs millions of pesos, the government should “instead scrap oil deregulation, which only enriched big oil companies while punishing small drivers, operators and consumers.”

Energy Undersecretary Jose Lapuz Jr. said bringing back regulation to the oil industry was out of the question.

In this city alone, Lapuz said the government would release at least 7,000 subsidy cards.

Each card contains P1,050 worth of “load,” which drivers can claim in accredited Pantawid Pasada gasoline stations. Lapuz said the cards will be good for six months but urged drivers not to throw them away as these could be used to claim loyalty points and Christmas gifts from participating oil companies.

He said the government will release a total of 220,000 subsidy cards nationwide and spend at least P450 million for the subsidy. At least P300 million of this would be for PUJ drivers and operators.

Bus drivers and operators, he said, are not included in the program because they buy fuel “in bulk at discounted prices.” Taxis were not included, too, because they had recently enjoyed a fare increase, he said.

“We specifically targeted diesel users,” said Lapuz. He said a petition by drivers of multicabs, a vehicle smaller than PUJs, to be included in the subsidy is being studied. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao