MANILA, Philippines — Senator and vice-presidential aspirant Bong Go on Sunday pushed for a fuel discount on “strategic sectors” like public transportation and food deliveries, as well as the suspension of the excise tax on fuel.
“Umaapela ako sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno, lalo na sa DOE (Department of Energy), DA (Department of Agriculture) at DOTr (Department of Transportation), na pag-aralan kaagad ang posibleng pagbigay ng fuel discounts or subsidy para sa mga strategic sectors natin, katulad ng public transport, food deliveries at iba pa,” said Go in a statement.
(I appeal to government agencies, especially the DOE, DA, and DOTr, to immediately study the possible provision of fuel discounts or subsidies for our strategic sectors, such as public transport, food deliveries, and others.)
“Sa pagbibigay ng discount o subsidy, mas mapapagaan natin ang bigat na dulot ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis,” he added.
(By providing a discount or subsidy, we can alleviate the burden caused by the increase in oil prices.)
According to Go, this will also help control the possible rise in the price of foods and other basic necessities that depend on transportation from producers to markets and consumers.
The senator then pushed for the suspension of the excise tax on fuel.
“Pag-aralan din natin ang posibleng pag-amyenda sa kasalukuyang batas upang mapahintulutan ang temporary suspension ng fuel excise tax sa panahong masyadong mataas ang presyo ng langis sa world market,” Go said.
(Let us also study the possible amendment to the current law to allow the temporary suspension of fuel excise tax at a time when oil prices are too high in the world market.)
He is not the first official to call for the suspension of the fuel excise tax, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate first called for its suspension after Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said he wanted the Department of Energy to have the power to suspend excise tax on fuel during “abnormal conditions.”
Zarate was followed by presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacson who said that the Department of Finance (DOF) should start considering suspending excise tax on oil products mandated by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law
The country is currently being battered by high oil prices, for the past eight weeks, the DOE admitted that unleaded gasoline prices have risen by as much as P19.65 per liter, P18 per liter for diesel, and P15.49 per liter for kerosene.