MANILA, Philippines – Hinimok ni House of Representatives Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos ang mga bangko at iba pang financial service providers na alisin o i-waive ang mga transaction fees upang maibsan ang pasanin ng publiko na apektado ng epekto ng kaguluhan sa Middle East.
Sa isang pahayag noong Biyernes, sinabi ni Marcos na inihain niya ang House Resolution No. 905 na layuning tanggalin ang ilang banking fees, dahil maraming Pilipino ang umaasa sa cashless transactions habang naka-adjust sa four-day work week o work-from-home setup.
Ayon kay Marcos, ang interbank withdrawal fee sa ATM ay nasa ₱18, habang ang online transfer fee ay maaaring umabot sa ₱25 kada transaksyon. Bagama’t maliit, maaari itong madagdagan at mabawasan ang take-home pay ng mga manggagawa at padalang pera ng mga OFW.
Sinabi niya: “The adoption of House Resolution No. 905 is not only about helping our [OFWs] — it is about providing immediate, practical relief to every Filipino who relies on the banking and digital financial system in their daily lives.”
Dagdag pa niya, milyon-milyong Pilipino ang gumagamit ng ATM, online banking, e-wallets, at fund transfer services para magbayad ng bills, bumili ng pagkain, magpadala ng pera, at pang-araw-araw na gastusin. Aniya: “But each transaction comes with a cost — fees that may seem small individually, but collectively impose a real burden, especially during a time of rising prices.”
Sa ilalim ng HR No. 905, layunin ding tugunan ang paghina ng purchasing power dahil sa inflation.
Sinabi pa niya: “To aid the Filipino worker in further easing the burden of paying for services, goods and industries that are affected by the rising fuel prices, as well as to promote financial stability in times of distress, there is a need to temporarily evaluate the imposition of transaction fees and those made online thru digital platforms of banks and non-bank financial institutions.”
Dagdag niya: “With the crisis in the Middle East having no immediate end in sight at present, it is imperative that Congress seek to adopt all measures available to it to help Filipino workers withstand this challenging moment and to mitigate the impact of global price shifts by adjusting the costs of banking in line with our current circumstance as a nation.”
Ayon pa sa kanya, dapat pangunahan ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ang hakbang at hikayatin ang financial sector na magbigay ng relief measures, habang ang government financial institutions ay dapat magsilbing halimbawa.
Aniya: “This is a moment where small adjustments can create large, tangible savings for millions of Filipinos. Every waived fee is money that stays in the hands of a worker, a parent, a student, or a small entrepreneur.”
Dagdag pa niya: “Each reduction from payments will be added to the people’s budget for food, fares, and their everyday needs. This is not just financial relief — it is economic fairness at a time when our people need it most.”
Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng gasolina at diesel, na nagdudulot ng dagdag pasanin sa mga konsyumer at sektor ng transportasyon.
Samantala, patuloy ang pagdinig sa Kongreso at Senado para makahanap ng solusyon sa fuel price crisis at iba pang epekto ng Middle East conflict. Ang Malacañang ay bumubuo rin ng crisis committee, habang may batas na nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa Pangulo na suspendihin ang excise tax sa fuel kapag natugunan ang mga kondisyon. RNT/MND
