Manila, Philippines- The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women decried the weekly oil price hikes that affected mothers and peasant women in rural areas particularly on the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The recent price hikes of LPG have slashed more on the household budget that the poor peasant families experienced amid the unending economic crisis of this pandemic. The group joined the broadening call of poor Filipino people against oil price hikes, to suspend the imposition of excise and value-added taxes on oil products, and repeal of TRAIN law provisions on oil products and the Republic Act 8479 Oil Deregulation law.
“Patung-patong na ang krisis na nararanasan ng mga mahihirap na pamilya sa bansa laluna sa kanayunan. Patuloy na umaaray ang mga nanay at mga magsasaka sa tuluy-tuloy na pagtaas ng mga pangunahing bilhin kagaya ng bigas, isda, gulay at iba pa tapos dumagdag pa itong pagtaas ng presyo ng LPG. Mabigat sa amin ang pagtaas ng presyo ng LPG lalupa’t hindi istable ang kalagayan namin ngayon dahil maraming nawalan ng kabuhayan dahil sa pandemya at krisis sa bansa,” Zen Soriano Amihan National Chairperson said in a statement.
Amihan exclaimed that a peasant woman from Lupang Ramos, Dasmariñas City in Cavite decried the P50-price hike of refill for super kalan which they consume for 1 to 2 weeks. She said that before the increase, she refilled the 2.5 kg of super kalan for P230 but at present, it is already P280. For a month, the price is around P100 to P200. Moreover, the peasant woman said that they are alternately using charcoal for cooking to save LPG consumption.
Another mother from Laguna, also a lomi vendor, decried the P110-price hike of LPG from P730 to P840. She uses the LPG for 17 days, thus, she spends near P1,700 per month and the price hike amounts to P220. She said that the price hike affected their daily expenses where their income does not improve.
“If a peasant family daily cost of living ranges from P478 to P700 which includes 2 kilos of rice, fish, vegetables, condiments, coffee, sugar including the costs for allowance for schooling children, medicines and other needs. LPG price hikes seriously affect their household budget. Saan talaga kukunin ang pambili para dito? Wala na ngang ayudang dumarating, pasan-pasan pa talaga ng mahihirap na mamamayan ang krisis na ito samantalang kaya namang resolbahin ng gobyerno. Malapit na ang pasko, kagaya ng mga nakaraang taon, posible ang pagtaas ng gasolina at LPG pero mananatiling pasan na naman ito ng mamamayan,” Soriano added.
Moreover, Amihan said that the Filipino people should hold Duterte accountable for this continuing crisis by serving the monopoly capitalist in the oil industry. Moreover, challenged the aspirants for Election 2022 to support the enactment of the bills filed by lawmakers under the Makabayan Coalition, to re-nationalize Petron and regulate the oil industry.
“Ngayon pa lang, bago atupagin ng mga kandidato ang kani-kanilang kampanya para sa susunod na taon, ay dapat na sumasama sila sa mahalagang panawagan ng mamamayan na itigil ang pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong langis. Dapat na tumulong sila na kagyat na ma-suspend ang mga buwis sa langis, ma-repeal ang mga provisions nito sa TRAIN law at maibasura nang tuluyan ang Oil Deregulation Law. Kung ngayon pa lang na dapat sinusuyo nila ang mamamayan para iboto sila, pero lalamya-lamya sila sa pagtutol, paano pa kung sila na ang nasa puder, lalo nilang hindi pakikinggan ang mga mamamayang naghihikahos,” she ended. ###
