Transport group dismayed by another possible oil price hike

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) on Sunday expressed ire over a looming increase in the pump prices of petroleum products in the coming week.

This came after an oil industry source projected based on trading from July 10 to 13, that the price per liter of diesel may go up by P1.80 to P2.00.

Gasoline prices, meanwhile, may be adjusted upwards by P1.50 to P1.70 per liter.

“Sa atin, talagang nakakagalit dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petroloyo dito sa ating bansa. Ngayong darating na Martes, halos kulang-kulang P2 ang panibagong itataas sa presyo ng diesel at gayon din sa presyo ng gasolina na kung saan ito ay magdudulot talaga ng pagliit ng kita ng ating mga driver at operator,” PISTON national president Mody Floranda said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(For us, the continuous increase in the prices of petroleum products in our country is really causing anger. This coming Tuesday, almost P2 will be added again to the prices of diesel and gasoline which will result in a reduced take home pay for our drivers and operators.)

With this, he renewed the group’s appeal for the government to amend the provisions of the Oil Deregulation Law or reduce the excise tax on petroleum products.

“Ito ang nagbibigay laya sa mga kompanya ng langis. Dati noon, bago magtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo o magbaba, nagkakaroon ito ng public hearing. Ngayon, hindi na,” Floranda added.

(This gives freedom to the oil companies. In the past, before raising or lowering the prices of fuel, there would be public hearings. Now, there is none anymore.)

Under the law, formally known as the Downstream Industry Deregulation Act, government control is removed to help oil companies become more competitive with their supply and pricing of petroleum products.

Oil companies usually announce price adjustments every Monday, to be implemented on the following day. –KG, GMA Integrated News