The People’s Progressive Humanist Liberal Party (PolPHIL) expresses its full support for the call of Senator Bam Aquino to suspend the excise tax on fuel amid the expected sharp increase in oil prices brought about by the escalating Iran–United States conflict, which now involves several countries in the Middle East.
PolPHIL views Senator Aquino’s proposal as both a logical and necessary step to complement President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stated intention to suspend fuel taxes once Congress grants the appropriate emergency powers to implement such a measure.
According to PolPHIL, in this context, suspending the fuel excise tax is not only sound economic policy but also an urgent form of social protection for millions of Filipinos who will inevitably bear the brunt of rising fuel prices.
“We commend Senator Aquino for his compassion and responsiveness to the plight of commuters, transport workers, small entrepreneurs, farmers, and fisherfolk who will be directly affected by the looming oil price shock,” said Ricardo SERRANO, Secretary-General, PolPHIL Party
He added that Aquino’s proposal provides a clear legislative direction that reinforces the President’s appeal and offers Congress a practical pathway for swift action.
“Congress must therefore act without hesitation in evaluating the merits of both the President’s call and Senator Aquino’s proposal. If lawmakers were able to move swiftly in transmitting the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in the past, they should be even more decisive in taking action to protect Filipinos from the severe impact of surging oil prices.,” Serrano said.
At the same time, PolPHIL calls for the immediate presentation of a clear and comprehensive plan to safeguard the welfare and livelihoods of more than one million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) currently in the Middle East, many of whom are directly exposed to the dangers of the ongoing conflict.
PolPHIL said that monitoring the situation alone is not enough wherein the government must prepare a fully operational contingency program that includes repatriation mechanisms and livelihood support for returning workers and their families in the Philippines.
“In times of global energy and security crises, the true measure of leadership lies in how quickly and how sincerely it acts for those most affected. Congress now has the opportunity to prove that it can place the interests of the Filipino people above any political calculation,” said Elmer Argaño, Vice Chairman, PolPHIL Party.
