Consumers face the added burden of higher transport fares and rising cost of essential goods and services after prices of gasoline and other petroleum products have gone up by more than P7 a liter in less than two months.
Local oil companies raised diesel prices by P1.50 a liter and gasoline by P1.80 starting Tuesday. Prices of kerosene also increased by P1.30 a liter.
The uptrend, which has so far gone uninterrupted for eight straight weeks, has added a total of P8.65 a liter to diesel pump prices. Since the start of 2021, diesel has seen a net increase of P18 a liter.
The eight-week rise in gasoline prices now totaled P7.20 a liter. Gasoline also saw a net increase of P19.70 a liter since the start of the year.
Pump prices in Metro Manila now range from P42.50 to P54.17 a liter of diesel and P49.50 to P70.44 for unleaded gasoline. As of Aug. 26, or before the uninterrupted weekly price increases, the range was P37.55 to P46.24 for diesel and P46.75 to P60.80 for gasoline.
Regular diesel is now at P44.85 to P69.05 in northern Luzon, P41.60 to P61.27 in southern Luzon, P46.80 to P64.95 in the Visayas and P46.10 to P70.65 in Mindanao. Unleaded gasoline is now at P51.45 to P79.80 in northern Luzon, P50.87 to P73.09 in southern Luzon, P54.75 to P73.96 in the Visayas and P53.00 to P74.85 in Mindanao.
The uptrend, which has so far gone uninterrupted for eight straight weeks, has added a total of P8.65 a liter to diesel pump prices. Since the start of 2021, diesel has seen a net increase of P18 a liter.
The eight-week rise in gasoline prices now totaled P7.20 a liter. Gasoline also saw a net increase of P19.70 a liter since the start of the year.
Pump prices have been going up since bad weather in the Gulf of Mexico disrupted petroleum production, and persisted as major crude oil producers, including the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and their allies did not announce new plans to increase their output during their latest meeting held earlier this month.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday said it was looking at fuel subsidies and direct aid to both public utility drivers and passengers to avoid having to increase fares for public transport.
In a statement, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the department believed it was “not the right time” to raise fares, with the country’s workforce still barely recovering from the impact of closures and restrictions to businesses and jobs.
“We need to balance the needs of drivers and the ability of our commuters during this pandemic,” he said. “So instead of directly increasing fares, we are pushing for financial aid for drivers and commuters.”
Among others, he said, they were looking at possible uniform discounts on public utility vehicles (PUVs) across all gas stations nationwide.
He also reminded fully vaccinated PUV drivers to avail themselves of existing discounts in selected gasoline stations and eateries by presenting their vaccination cards.
The DOTr has also written to the Department of Energy (DOE) about ways to mitigate the effects of the subsequent gas price increases on PUVs, including giving out fuel subsidies.
Meanwhile, the department also called on PUV drivers and operators to participate in its service contracting program, in which they would be paid by the government on a per-kilometer run basis.
Tugade said they were also studying increasing incentives per kilometer under the program.
Obet Martin, president of transport group Pasang Masda, said they respected Tugade’s statement but asked him to “consider also the needs of the drivers.”
“We respect his decision to mind the ordinary commuter but we are asking him to heed our plight as well. We drivers are doubly affected by the pandemic as well.”
Until now, PUVs are allowed to carry only half of its maximum passenger capacity in keeping with social distancing protocol. With rising gasoline prices, this limitation is “cutting deeper into our earnings,” Martin said.
He also asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to hear their pending petition for a fare increase “in the proper venue and in the proper way” instead of unilaterally announcing that they were not considering any adjustment.
Last week, Pasang Masda, along with the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (Acto), Land Transportation Organization of the Philippines (LTOP), Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), and Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines Inc. (Altodap) filed a petition seeking an increase in minimum fares from P9 to P12 due to rising fuel prices. (©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
