“MAGMAMAHAL NA naman bukas?” (Will prices go up again tomorrow?) the jeepney driver asked.
“Oo, bente pesos ata. Dapat magtaas na rin ng pamasahe, ‘no?” (Yeah, maybe around twenty pesos. We should raise fares too, right?) the gasoline boy replied.
“Dapat. Kaso kawawa rin naman ang mga pumapasok araw-araw.” (We should. But I feel for those who commute every day.)
That was the striking conversation I overheard while commuting last Sunday (March 15) from San Pedro City in Laguna to Alabang, Muntinlupa, a common route for students, workers, and mallgoers.
Despite surging oil prices and suffering profit losses, the driver still managed to show care for others.
Many look down at drivers as simple and poor, while greedy men in suits are admired for their wealth and power. Yet in times of crisis, it is the simple and the poor who are honorable, while the men in suits focus only on their profits.
BUSINESS GREED
When the Department of Energy (DOE) announced an oil price increase starting March 11, some gas stations did not miss a beat in taking advantage, already implementing hikes that were way overpriced.
Some even hoarded supplies so they could sell them at higher prices later.
In a report on March 21, Assortedge said that the DOE flagged 54 gasoline stations for possible profiteering and hoarding, while 71 were monitored for possible overpricing and early price adjustments.
In Pasig City, prices rose by more than 54 percent before the official schedule of increase.
And those are only the reported cases.
Transport group Manibela President Mar Valbuena posted on Facebook alleging that a gasoline station was hoarding:
“Nagpa-gas ako ngayon lang (1:05 a.m.). Ang sabi ng gasoline boy, kulay red (premium) na lang daw ang meron, naubos na daw ang diesel. Sabi ko bukas mataas na ang diesel. Sabi niya oo,” Valbuena recounted.
“Tinanong ko ulit kung may ibebenta silang diesel mamayang 6 a.m. Meron daw, kasi nga mas mataas na yung presyo—bukas na lang daw. Nadulas e, kasi nga para bukas, paldo na,” he wrote.
SYSTEMIC PLUNDER
Republic Act No. 8479, or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, has long been considered an enabler of corporate greed and systemic plunder.
The law lifts government control over pricing and allows private firms to set fuel prices based on “market forces.”
According to a report by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), the reasons for deregulation were to stabilize and provide reasonable prices, encourage competition and investments, and remove cross-product subsidies.
However, it is clear that deregulation has been unable to offer competitive prices or even slow down inflation.
To be fair to oil companies, PIDS noted: “We are a net importer of petroleum. Thus, when prices of petroleum products abroad increase, the local oil industry has little choice but to adopt the rise in prices.”
OIL DEREGULATION
But then again, many argue that deregulation has made the country more vulnerable to crises like the US-Iran conflict.
“Price adjustments of petroleum products in the Philippines are based on changes in the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) benchmark, which is more volatile and more susceptible to speculation than crude price benchmarks,” reported Bulatlat.
“Under a deregulated regime, these speculative and overstated increases are quickly transmitted to domestic pump prices, resulting in price adjustments at gas stations that are often disproportionate to international market fundamentals,” it added.
PRICE COMPARISON
In another report, a comparison of oil prices with neighboring countries exposed how deregulation has placed the Philippines at the mercy of corporations, regardless of whether they act in good faith or greed.
As of March 19, compared to the estimated common price of diesel in NCR at around P99 per liter, Indonesia is at P24 for subsidized and P50 for non-subsidized fuel. Malaysia is at P33 and P60, and Thailand is at P61.
For gasoline, the P82 per liter in NCR is only P30 in Malaysia and P57–59 in Thailand.
Aside from the lack of price regulation and state subsidies, onerous taxes have made prices in the country even higher.
MUNGGO EVERYDAY
While corporations have all the means to advance their interests and their millions and billions in profits, drivers are left with less and less with each price hike.
For one, you do not have to be a genius to understand the logic: higher oil prices mean more expenses for drivers and operators, which eat into their take-home income.
Reports of drivers earning around P50 a day or choosing to stop working and find alternative sources of income are widespread.
For instance, Jerry Capino, a jeepney driver, chose to cut his meals in half to avoid increasing his fare.
“Gumunggo na lamang ang kinikita namin. Kung dati every Friday ang pagkain ng munggo, ngayon everyday na,” said Valbuena, adding that they are adopting shifting schedules so everyone can go out and get passengers.
HONORABLE POOR
And you certainly don’t have to be a genius to realize that, as a government, you need to either regulate prices—which is now off the table—or suspend taxes, offer subsidies, or at least approve a decent fare increase.
That is exactly what many transport groups, including Manibela, are calling for: the suspension or removal of excise taxes and value-added tax (VAT), and the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law.
But despite transport strikes, thousands of drivers suffering, and a looming crisis, the government has done very little except dole out financial assistance which drivers called “limos”.
“Nandito na tayo sa ikaapat na linggo ng gera na ito, nitong pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo. Pero wala pa rin yung batas upang isuspend yung excise tax. Ano ang ginagawa ng ating mga mambabatas? Ano ang ginagawa ng ehekutibo?”
LOGICAL REMEDY
Valbuena then went on to say: Mahal na Pangulo, gusto naming magtagumpay kayo na matulungan ang mamamayang Pilipino, pero ngayon wala na kaming nakikitang pag-asa kahit katiting.”
In many interviews, Valbuena has repeatedly stressed that they do not wish to call for a fare hike and will only do so as a last resort.
Instead of doing what opportunistic, greedy corporations have shown, the simple and poor jeepney drivers and operators are calling for reforms that will benefit the Filipino people.
The jeepney sector has been through a lot, from the pandemic, to the modernization program and the phaseout of traditional jeepneys, and now the unjustified surge in oil prices. Yet this discriminated and widely neglected sector continues to fight fair. They have one thing the crooks in government and greedy corporations can never have: honor.
Better to take home P50 pesos with honor than earn millions from injustice.