ANAKPAWIS Rep. Rafael V. Mariano said the Aquino administration’s unacceptable silence and inaction on weekly oil price hikes refutes the Liberal Party’s campaign slogan of genuine public service and exposes LP’s election promise as nothing but a sham to lure the public. “Addressing predatory oil prices are imperative.”
“No one among Team PNoy’s senatorial candidates has given a clear stand against oil price hikes and the Oil Deregulation Law. Sa ngayon, wala ni isa man sa mga kandidato ng adminstratyon ang may plataporma na pigilan ang pagtaas ng mga presyo na lubhang nakakaapekto at nagpapahirap sa taumbayan.”
“We are challenging all senatorial candidates to respond to the public’s strong clamor to impose price control, lower oil prices and stop the vicious profiteering of the oil cartel,” Mariano said.
The Anakpawis solon said non-stop oil price adjustments have badly hurt ordinary wage and salary earners, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), local entrepreneurs and consumers in general. “Oil price hikes have ranged between P0.35 to P1.10 per liter every round while price rollbacks are very insufficient at P0.10 to P0.25 per liter.”
Oil companies announced today that they will raise pump prices again this week by more than P1/liter.
“Oil prices have been increasing steadily since January. President Aquino’s silence on this crucial and socially-sensitive issue is practically an encouragement to oil companies to continue imposing price hikes.”
Among the immediate solutions to lower oil price hikes include the removal or reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on oil prices.
“Slashing VAT from oil products will instantly reduce current oil prices by at least P6 per liter,” Mariano said. “Even without VAT on oil, local oil firms will not close down or become bankrupt because their profit margins are intact due their overpricing and profiteering.”
Mariano is the co-author of House Bill 2719 that seeks to exempt petroleum products from VAT filed by Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino. The Anakpawis solon also authored House Bill 4317 that seeks to repeal RA 8479 or the Oil Deregulation Law – the main culprit behind the unstoppable oil price hikes.