Groups urge suspension of VAT, excise tax amid oil price hike

Various groups on Monday held protests against this week’s big-time oil price hike and urged the government to suspend the value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax on petroleum products.

In Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report, some jeepney drivers plan to top up with diesel today prior to more expensive prices on Tuesday, while others who are unable to afford a full tank said they plan to go back to the province since they don’t earn as much in Metro Manila.

Protesters believe that the cost of petroleum products continues to rise because some people are taking advantage of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

They said that in the face of more expensive fuel, the government subsidy for jeepney drivers is not enough.

“Wala itong saysay, lalo na kung tuloy-tuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng petrolyo. Umaabot ng P550 per day yung mawawalang kita ng ating mga driver. Kapag tinginan po natin sa loob ng 25 days, halos hindi bababa sa P7,000 to P8,000 yung direktang mawawalan. Marami ang hindi nakakatanggap sa subsidy noon at hanggang sa kasalukuyan,” PISTON president Mody Floranda.

(It’s useless, especially with the continuous rise of oil prices. A driver loses about P550 worth of income daily. In 25 days, they lose about P7,000 to P8,000. Many do not receive a subsidy, then and now.)

“Pag hindi ka consolidated naman ngayon, technically hindi ka na rin kasi mapaparehistro. Technically, kolorum ka so you will not be a beneficiary po ang ibibigay ng pamahalaan. But we're only talking of public utility jeeps,” said Teofilo Guadiz II, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman.

(If you’re unconsolidated, technically, you cannot register your vehicle. Technically, you don’t have a permit to operate on routes, so you’ll not be able to become a beneficiary of the government.)

The LTO chief has yet to determine how much subsidy each driver will receive.

“Kasi iyong P2.5 billion ay pagkakasyayan natin yan sa mga jeeps, sa mga UV, sa mga taxi. So, we cannot yet say as of now kung magkano po ang matatanggap. Please give us about two or three days,” Guadiz said.

(The P2.5 billion will be divided among jeepney, UV, and taxi drivers, so we cannot yet say as of now how much they will receive. Please give us about two or three days. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News