Most VP bets agree P200 a month ayuda for fuel not enough

Almost all of the candidates running for vice president in Eleksyon 2022 said the P200 a month assistance to poor families to supposedly ease the impact of oil price increases was inadequate.

At the same time, they pushed for the suspension of the excise tax on fuel as a more impactful effort against the price spikes.

"I must admit, totoong malaki ang problema natin sa fuel at 'yung P200 na binibigay, mas malaki pa ang binigay sa Quezon City, P1,000," Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

He then highlighted the need to increase the minimum wage to P1,000 for Metro Manila workers and P600 to P800 for provincial workers.

"I agree also that excise tax should be suspended. Tama po 'yon at siguro dapat bigyan natin, 'yung sa minimum wage na pinag-uusapan, dagdagan natin, gawin nating 1,000 ang minimum wage sa NCR sa mga kababayan natin; P600 to P800 sa mga probinsya depende sa kung ano sabihin ng wage board, pero 'yung mga employers siguradong medyo may papalag, edi bigyan natin ng tax breaks," he said.

"'Di baleng gobyerno ang maghirap, 'wag lang ang ating mga kababayan. Sanay mangutang ang gobyerno e pero 'yung mga kababayan natin papatol sa 5-6 para lang may makain 'di ba o para makadagdag sa negosyo nila. 'Di baleng gobyerno ang maghira, 'wag lang ang taumbayan," Sotto said.

Sotto said the government must also shift to renewable energy.

"Pagdating po sa fuel, dapat ang issue ng energy, 'yung fossil natin medyo gawin na nating renewable energy 'yan na ang dapat gawin natin. For example, solar. Nasa gitna tayo ng equator e. Ang lakas ng araw sa Pilipinas e. Tayo dapat ang sikat sa solar," he said.

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said the P200 a month aid is not enough.  He said the Executive branch should instead take action in adopting a "liberal interpretation" of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law so it could suspend the fuel excise tax.

"Pag sinuspend ang fuel excise tax, P10, P6, P5 kada litro ang mababawas, kaagad na mararamdaman ng taumbayan," Pangilinan said.

He also called for fuel subsidy to farmers and fisherfolk, adding that P500 million was set aside for this in the 2022 budget.

Dr. Willy Ong also favors to cut the excise tax for petroleum products and electricity.

“Dapat suportahan natin ‘yung agriculture, food security natin para may pagkain tao, at syempre mag focus tayo sa renewable energy dahil mas mura ito in the long run,” Ong said.

“Kailangan din natin mag tipid, kung pwedeng mas maraming bike lanes, diba, so walang gasolina ‘yan. ‘Yung mga cities natin gawin nating walkable. Ngayon, mahirap maglakad,” he added.

Former lawmaker Walden Bello called the P200 monthly subsidy a joke.

"Hindi ho sapat 'yung P200, parang binibiro lang tayo ni President Duterte with that kasi talagang ubos po 'yan, isang araw lang. Sumasang-ayon ako sa mga sinabi ng kasama natin dito na dapat hong masuspend 'yung excise tax on oil as well as the VAT on oil," Bello said.

Bello reiterated the call to increase the daily minimum wage to P750 to help Filipino workers.

"'Yung sinasabi na namin ni Ka Leody De Guzman from the very beginning na itaas 'yung minimum wage to P750, it's good to hear some other people running for office that are now supporting itong panukala namin from the beginning," he said.

He added: "We must really freeze 'yung payments natin na non-securitized foreign debt kasi diyan ho nabubuhos 'yung kuwan ng gobyerno eh. You know, 20% of the budget each year goes to paying of the debt, this is really P1 trillion."

Rizalito David said the people need more to survive amid the high cost of living.

“Isang problema natin talaga yung mentality ng gobyerno na mas maigi na yan kesa sa wala, which is really very wrong kaya itong pagbigay ng P200 na ito parang sinasabi ni President Duterte na mas maigi na yan kesa sa wala,” he said.

David said the government should also give financial aid to small businesses to strengthen the country’s economy in order to create more livelihoods for the people.

“Sa akin ang pagtingin ko dapat buhusan na natin ng pera yung mga maliliit na negosyo, tutal nanakawin din naman ng mga politiko yung pera eh ibigay na natin ng diretso doon sa mga maliliit na negosyo," he said.

"We can make arrangements on how this can be done para naman maibsan yung hirap ng ating mamamayan. Kailangan natin talagang buhayin yung ekonomiya, buhusan ng pera yang maliliit na negosyo para dumami yung kabuhayan at bumalik na tayo sa dati nating level ng pamumuhay,” David added.

For Manny Lopez, the aid is better than nothing, although small.

To alleviate the impact of high local pump prices, Lopez said the government has to come up with an austerity program, develop its sources of renewable energy, from solar and hydro, and have a more aggressive oil exploration initiative.

Lopez said he agreed with the position of the government not to suspend the value added and excise tax.

"If that is suspended, too much will be lost. We might create a financial, fiscal crisis, and the repercussions are heavy," he said.

Carlos Serapio said the P200 aid is wanting.

"Kaya po dito sa P200 na financial aid, totoo pong yan ay hindi sapat. Kaya ang dapat po nating gawin gaya ng nabanggit ng aking presidente kahapon ay hindi lamang yun napupunta doon sa consumption o parang isang araw o ilang araw lamang ubos na yung tulong na yun," he said.

"Kailangan meron tayong bahaging ibibigay sa production at doon sa bahagi pong production na yun ang aming nakikita ay binibigyan natin ang ating mga kababayan na tinatawag nating energy relief pagkat ito po ay patuloy nilang pakikinabangan sa araw-araw at papakinabangan din nila buwan-buwan," Serapio said.—Hana Bordey/Llanesca Panti/Joahnna Lei Casilao/Jamil Santos/Joviland Rita/Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News