THE DEPARTMENT of Energy admits it cannot cap prices under the law unless emergency powers are invoked. Malacañang says changes are up to Congress.
In simple terms, when global shocks hit, the state cannot move fast. That does not mean every increase is abuse—global oil and shipping costs are rising. But it does mean consumers are left watching prices climb with little control. Transparency remains thin, and thin transparency offers little comfort at the pump.
The tax debate is just as complicated. There is growing pressure to suspend or cut fuel excise taxes, and the House has begun moving. IBON and others support this. The logic is clear: ease the burden now.
But economists warn that broad tax cuts often help car owners more than commuters. Targeted subsidies may better protect those who need it most. This is not about ideology. It is about design. Who gets relief first? Who benefits more?
Meanwhile, workers are told to wait while prices rise in real time. Labor groups are now pushing for a P200 wage hike, pointing out the obvious: fuel, fares, and food keep climbing, while wages stand still.
And then there is the global layer many prefer to soften. A large part of this crisis traces back to decisions beyond our borders — especially American power used recklessly. Donald Trump’s approach toward Iran has leaned on spectacle and escalation, mistaking force for strength.
The recent US-Israeli strikes have not only caused loss of life but shaken global energy and trade. For the US, it may be strategy. For countries like ours, it shows up as higher diesel, rising fares, and tighter household budgets. Smaller economies are left absorbing the cost of decisions they had no hand in making.
What makes this harder to accept is how predictable it all feels. A crisis erupts somewhere else, and we go through the same routine here — panic, patchwork, press briefings, then forgetfulness. The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities has warned that this cycle is not new. We have simply learned to live with it. We are still too dependent on imported oil, still thin on reserves, still slow to invest in better options. We keep reacting, rarely preparing.
This oil shock means everyday life will get heavier—transport, food, tuition, and bills all inching upward while incomes stay the same. Families will adjust, again. But the deeper issue remains: we keep treating long-term problems with short-term responses.
The public is not asking for clever advice. It is asking for leaders who see the bigger picture and act on it. Because in the end, this is not just about fuel. It is about whether we are willing to prepare, or just keep reacting.
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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with./PN
