MANILA — Malacañang appealed for trust and cooperation from the transport sector as rising fuel prices tied to tensions in the Middle East triggered fresh strike threats, even as the government rolled out subsidies and froze fare hikes to cushion the impact on commuters and drivers.
The call came from Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro after transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) warned of further protests if demands such as the scrapping of fuel excise taxes remain unaddressed.
Castro urged drivers and operators to give the administration time to implement measures aimed at balancing assistance to the transport sector while protecting commuters from additional fare burdens.
“Sa panahon ngayon, ang kailangan natin ay pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan. Alam po ni Pangulong Marcos, Jr. ang hinaing nating lahat dahil sa dulot ng sigalot sa Middle East.Hindi natin ginusto ito. Hindi ito kasalanan ng Pangulo at ng gobyerno,” Castro said.
“Alam rin po nating lahat na inuna ni Pangulo ang pag ayuda sa transportation sector.Inuna silang bigyan ng financial assistance at fuel subsidy,” she noted.
Castro added: “Ang hiling lang natin ay pang-unawa at pagtitiwala sa mga desisyon ng gobyerno na binabalanse ang pagtulong sa mga mananakay at sa mga transportationsector. Sana magtulungan tayong lahat sa gitna ng krisis sa.”
Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Transportation to defer planned fare increases for public utility vehicles, opting instead to expand financial assistance for affected drivers amid the continuing spike in fuel costs.
The government has also begun distributing subsidies to tricycle drivers in Metro Manila through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis program.
Despite these interventions, transport groups staged protest actions in several parts of the country on Thursday, pressing for the suspension of fuel excise taxes as pump prices continue to rise.
In response to the escalating crisis, both the House of Representatives and the Senate have approved on final reading separate measures granting the President emergency powers to suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes, signaling a possible next step as pressure mounts on the government to act more aggressively./PN
