Gov't fuel subsidy not enough, says transport group

The one-time P6,500 fuel subsidy of the government to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators is inadequate against the rising oil prices, transport group Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) said Thursday.

“Yung P6,500 halos one week lang po na biyahe ng jeep. Aabot lang po sya ng halos walong araw kasi ang pinakamababang presyo ng krudo ng jeep ay umaabot ng P1,200 hanggang P1,300. Kaya halos hindi aabot ng buwan, hindi aabot ng dalawang linggo,”  Piston president Modesto Floranda said on The Mangahas’ Interviews.

“Sabi nga natin sa unang tingin makakatulong pero sa kabuuan hindi rin kasi mawawalan sya ng silbi kung patuloy na tumataas,” he said.

(That P6,500 would only last for a week to the jeepney drivers. The lowest price of crude jeepneys is from P1,200 to P1,300. It won’t even last for a month.”)

The transport leader reiterated the government should suspend the implementation of excise tax on fuel prices saying doing so would have a domino effect on the country’s economy.

"Yung kwentada nga po namin mula sa P363 per day ay sa loob ng isang buwan ay P8,400 yung direct na buwis na binigay sa government," he said.

“Sabi nga po namin binigyan kami ng P6,500, nagbigay naman kami ng P8,400 sa loob ng isang buwan, mas malaki 'yung inilabas namin kaysa sa ibinigay sa'min na tulong’,” he added.

(From our computation, we pay P363 in taxes per day to the government, this amounts to P8,400 a month.  They give us P6,500 but shell out P8,400 in taxes.)

Around 150,000 PUV drivers have so far received fuel vouchers since March 15, LTFRB said earlier.  Ride-hailing drivers, meanwhile, are set to receive their subsidies by next week.

For the tricycle drivers, the agency said it is still coordinating with the DILG to identify target beneficiaries.

Floranda said members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association expressed worry the distribution would be “politicized” if the local government units (LGU) would have a hand in it, adding they have appealed for the cash cards to be given to the drivers directly.

“Para hindi magamit ng mga politko, dapat direkta sa driver hindi dadaan sa LGU. Kasi pag dumaan jan di mo maiiwasan na mapolitika,” he said.

(It should be given directly to the drivers so it will not be used for politics.)—Sundy Mae Locus/LDF, GMA News