For the 11th straight week, the price of fuel will go up. This time, twice the amount of last week’s fuel price hike.
Just a few minutes ago, major players in the Philippine oil industry, have announced that they will be raising the pump price of gasoline by PHP 7.10 per liter while the pump price of diesel will go up by PHP 13.15 per liter.
Petroleum companies such as Caltex, Cleanfuel, Petron, Shell, and Unioil have released price advisories and other fuel retailers are expected to follow suit.
That means if gasoline prices within Metro Manila now go between PHP 68.00 and PHP 75.00 for regular unleaded, a liter of regular unleaded will be as much as PHP 82.10 by tomorrow.
For those with diesel-powered vehicles, a liter of diesel will retail between PHP 79.00 and PHP 80.00.
Lacson wants fuel excise tax suspended
With fuel prices nearing the PHP 100/ liter mark, presidential aspirant, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, joins the call for the government to suspend the excise tax imposed on fuel. “The upward trajectory of fuel prices is expected to continue and the government must do something now to mitigate the impact of international oil prices on motorists, the public transport sector, fisherfolk, and farmers who will bear the brunt of this burden if we do not act now,” said Lacson.
Lacson’s proposal, in some ways, similar to Sen. Grace Poe’s Senate Bill 2445, will cut fuel prices by PHP 10.00 per liter on gasoline, while diesel prices will be cut down by PHP 6.00 per liter.
Not a good time for leisure riding
After two years of lockdown and stringent protocols brought about by the pandemic, the government has finally eased up the alert level status of most of the regions to Alert Level 1, and most travel destinations are opened again to the general public.
Unfortunately for us motorcycle riders, we might have to again postpone our travel plans to another time due to rising fuel costs.
Shortly before the pandemic, a liter of premium unleaded will only set us back PHP 49.00. So, if one is riding a 125cc scooter that consumes an average of 35 kilometers per liter, his or her PHP 500 fuel money could go a long way – like 357 kilometers with that money.
Now, to travel the same distance of 357 kilometers, back and forth, for example, one has to spend at least PHP 850 for fuel since our PHP 500 fuel money would only go as far as 200 to 210 kilometers.
Is it time to switch to pedal power (bicycle) or electric scooter?
