MANILA, Philippines – Isinusulong sa Kamara ang panukala ng P7,000 buwanang fuel subsidy para sa mga manggagawa sa low-income sectors.
Ang panukala ay inihain ni Parañaque Rep. Brian Yamsuan sa ilalim ng House Bill 8340, target ang mga nagtatrabaho sa mga sakahan, pangisdaan, public transport, agricultural production at iba pang low income sectors.
Ani Yamsuan, susuporta ito sa panukala naman na nagbibigay kapangyarihan kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na suspendihin o bawasan ang excise tax sa produktong petrolyo.
“Several measures have been filed in Congress seeking to provide fuel subsidies to specific sectors, such as fisherfolk and farmers, and separate proposals focused solely on public transport drivers. This bill builds upon these efforts by integrating them into a single, comprehensive program that covers all sectors whose livelihoods are directly dependent on fuel,” sinabi ni Yamsuan, vice chairperson ng House Committee on Transportation.
“While these occupations may differ, these beneficiaries share one reality—their ability to earn a living—and the food they bring to their families’ tables—are deeply and directly affected by the price of oil,” dagdag ni Yamsuan.
Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, ang subsidiya ay popondohan sa ilalim ng General Appropriations Act, partikular sa alokasyon sa Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture at Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Dapat din na mairehistro sa umiiral na government registries ang mga tatanggap ng fuel subsidy program kabilang ang database ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Municipal Fisherfolk Registration System, boat registry ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
“Studies done in the agriculture and fisheries sector show that subsidies, which reduce the cost of production inputs, enable small producers to sustain operations during price shocks, and maintain supply levels that help stabilize the prices of food and other basic commodities. This way, we would also be able to streamline the distribution of the aid, strengthen our sectoral databases, and encourage others who should benefit from the subsidy but have not yet been captured by the system to register,” sinabi ni Yamsuan.
Nagbibigay-daan din ang panukala sa paglikha ng isang Advisory Council na pamumunuan ng kalihim ng transportasyon para suriin at i-adjust ang halaga ng cash subsidy kung kinakailangan.
Ang Advisory Council ay bubuuin ng:
Secretary of Transportation bilang chairperson
Chairperson of the LTFRB bilang co-chairperson
Energy Secretary of Energy
Labor and Employment Secretary
Budget and Management Secretary
Finance Secretary
Interior and Local Government Secretary
Matatandaan na inanunsyo ng Palasyo nitong Miyerkules ang probisyon ng P5,000 fuel subsidy para sa public transport drivers na apektado ng paglobo ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo.
Sa kabila nito, sa panukala ni Yamsuan ay direktang isinasalaysay ang mga benepisyo sa ilalim ng House Bill 8340 na hindi mababawasan, babawiin o mawawala ang anumang benepisyo, tulong o pribilehiyo na ibibigay sa mga transport workers, magsasaka, mangingisda at iba pang eligible beneficiaries sa ilalim ng umiiral na batas, ordinansa, regulasyon o programa.
Kabilang sa mga benepisyo ay ang livelihood assistance, insurance coverage, training opportunities, access sa production resources, at iba pang socio-economic support programs na ipinatutupad ng pamahalaan o lokal na pamahalaan. RNT/JGC
