The transport group MANIBELA concluded their three-day strike by marching from Quezon City's Welcome Rotonda to Mendiola in Manila, urging the government to suspend excise and value-added taxes on fuel and reduce petroleum prices.
PUV drivers and operators under the group MANIBELA marked the final day of their three-day strike on Friday by staging a march from Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to Mendiola in Manila. The protest aimed to call on the Philippine government to suspend the excise tax and Value-Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products and to roll back current pump prices to more affordable levels. MANIBELA chairperson Mar Valbuena stated that the call was in response to significant increases in fuel prices following escalating tensions in the Middle East region. He criticized oil companies for raising prices prematurely despite having existing fuel inventories. Valbuena also highlighted shortcomings in government fuel assistance programs, noting that promised fuel discounts for public utility vehicles (PUVs) have not been fully implemented, with some gas stations unaware of the program. While acknowledging the government’s service contracting program intended to assist drivers, he indicated its limited reach and unmet financial obligations from earlier agreements posed challenges. Valbuena emphasized that suspending fuel taxes would stabilize transportation fares and help reduce costs of basic goods, benefiting not only transport workers but commuters and private motorists as well. He added that despite global oil price increases, some other countries have managed to alleviate the burden on their populations by adjusting taxes accordingly. The strike and subsequent march highlight ongoing concerns within the transport sector over fuel affordability and government support measures in the Philippines.
Sources referenced:
- https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/984268/puv-drivers-operators-march-to-mendiola-on-last-day-of-strike/story/