(Eagle News) — Senator Grace Poe on Thursday, Dec. 13, revealed only one third of the P977 million allotted as fuel subsidy for jeepney drivers and operators has been distributed to them.
According to Poe, based on a report given to her, only 69,065 ‘Pantawid Pasada’ cards containing P5,000 subsidy each were turned over to the drivers and operators, for a total amount of P345 million.
Poe said there are 171836 intended beneficiaries of the cards, which were supposed to help mitigate the effects of the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
TRAIN imposed a P3-tax for every liter of kerosene, P2.50 for every liter of diesel and bunker fuel, and P1 for every kilogram of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Next year, excise taxes will increase to P4 for kerosene, P4.50 for diesel, P9 for gasoline, and P2 for LPG.
The government has announced that the second round of increase in excise tax on fuel products under TRAIN will push through next year.
“Matatapos na ang taon pero tila kulang na kulang pa rin ang ayudang ibinibigay ng gobyerno sa mga tsuper. Bagamat bumababa na ngayon ang presyo ng petrolyo, ang laki na ng nalugi sa kanila dahil sa sunod-sunod na pagtaas nung nakaraan. Dapat naman sanang ibigay na ‘yan nang wala nang kondisyon dahil kasama ‘yan sa batas,” Poe said.
Poe did not buy the transport authorities’ argument for the non-distribution of the cards that some franchise holders were out of the country, some franchise transfers were not reflected in their database, and some franchise holders were already dead or ill.
She said in the first place, from the start, the authorities should have updated their database of beneficiaries.
“Sana naman ibigay na nang mabilisan sa susunod na taon at wala nang dahilan pa para ma-delay ang paghatid ng nararapat na ayuda para sa mga tsuper at operator,” Poe said.
