Multisectoral groups on Wednesday urged the national government to fast-track and prioritize measures to shield ordinary Filipinos from the brunt of soaring fuel costs, five weeks into the energy emergency triggered by the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.
The groups led by the Power for People Coalition (P4P) said assurances from the Marcos administration and Department of Energy (DOE) that the government is on top of keeping fuel inventories afloat and navigating the energy emergency barely do anything for consumers who simply can no longer afford to pay for their energy needs.
“The last five weeks revealed how structurally absent means to protect consumers are in the country’s energy sector. How they were left to fend for themselves as pump prices kept soaring. We are all bracing for higher monthly bills as coal prices reach record highs. We remind our government that there is no time to delay decisions on price cuts, emergency aids, and alternatives–not when so many Filipinos are no longer sure where their next meal would come from,” said Gerry Arances, convenor of the Power for People Coalition (P4P).
Costs of petroleum products put on another round of double-digit rate hikes Tuesday, prompting stoppages among jeepney and other public utility vehicle operators.
“Ilang linggo nang hindi kumikita at nalulugi pa nga ang mga drayber. Ang komyuter, hirap makasakay. Libo-libo na ang ninakawan ng hanapbuhay ng krisis na ito. Bakit tila nag-aalangan pa rin ang pamahalaang gamitin ang emergency powers nito para pigilan ang pang-aabuso ng mga kumpanya ng langis? Sa ngayon, tuloy ang laban para sa pagsuspinde sa value added tax at excise tax sa langis, pagtutol sa mga price hike, mga programa para makapaghanapbuhay ang mga manggagawa sa transportasyon, at para wakasan ang deregulasyon sa industriya ng langis,” said Mar Valbuena, Chairperson of transport group MANIBELA.
Oil price hikes and supply woes also spell deep trouble for Small Power Utilities Group areas which rely on oil products for their power needs, high costs for which are subsidized through the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UC-ME) collected from electricity consumers in the national grid.
“Even before the war broke out, Mindoro and other off-grid areas have long suffered expensive electricity rates and rampant outages. This is only bound to get worse, especially for the island’s fisherfolk communities whose income is eaten up by high prices of fuel needed to go out to sea or, for many, are also forced to indefinitely park their boats, much like transport workers,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Calapan, who is also the lead convenor of advocacy group Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP).
“In the last month, coal prices have already jumped by 17%, and liquefied natural gas by 91%. If directly implemented into generation costs, blended rates could see a Php 5 increase. Coal and other fossil fuels are no solution; it’s a threat to consumers’ pockets that our government needs to guard against. A crucial response to the energy crisis is to establish protections for consumers by prohibiting pass-through costs, penalizing corporations for anti-consumer practices, and reducing reliance on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels in the immediate and long term,” said Arances.
Electricity rates across the country are expected to rise in April billings, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), owing to the US-Israel war on Iran and a weaker peso. P4P warned that costs would only spike more if the government follows through with its plan to boost coal utilization as its energy crisis response, on top of already heavy reliance on coal and gas in th national grid – especially in the National Capital Region.
According to Arances, deployments of solar rooftop systems should particularly be prioritized by the government as an emergency measure it needs to mobilize resources and unlock policy barriers for. Think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) estimates that the deployment of one million 500W solar grids could potentially result in overall savings of up to Php 373,140,000.00 per month, depending on system efficiency and peak sun hours.
“Executive bodies and legislators alike have repeatedly floated the need to switch on renewables in the aftermath of US-Israel’s attack on Iran. Bringing it to life to relieve communities and consumers is now a test of political will,” Arances said.
“Last year, the Diocese of Calapan rolled out its own roadmap to advance renewable energy in Mindoro, with hope that it would contribute in the momentum for an energy shift in the broader VIP corridor and the country. Communities and parishes in the island that have since installed solar rooftop PV systems are now reaping the benefits of renewable energy and are much better protected from oil and other fuel volatilities. The same needs to be done for vulnerable communities and sectors across the country,” shared Gariguez.
Price control, immediate economic relief, and emergency solar PV deployments, are among 10 measures for near and long-term protections against electricity and transport sector vulnerabilities put forward by the groups.
“Ang kuryente at transportasyon ay serbisyo para sa taumbayan at hindi basta-bastang negosyo. Kaya dapat lang na ang mga polisiyang pinamamahala sa mga industriyang ito at mga kontratang pinapasok ng mga kumpanya ng kuryente at langis ay tinitiyak na interes ng taumbayan ang nananalo. Sa panahon ng krisis, jjjbigyang halaga ang katiyakan ng kabuhayan, pagkain, at serbisyong publiko para sa mga maralita, manggagawa, at mga komunidad,” said Flora Santos of Oriang & K4K Quezon City.
“Pangunahing tungkulin ng pamahalaan na ipagtanggol ang kapakanan ng mga manggagawa, mga pamilyang Pilipino, at mga batayang sektor, hindi ang patuloy na pagtubo ng mga oligarkiya sa enerhiya. Patuloy ang pagtindig natin laban sa inhustisya ng giyerang ito, at sa inhustisya mula sa pamahalaan kung patuloy nitong hahayaang mauwi sa gutom ang taumbayan,” said Leody De Guzman, Chairperson of Partido Lakas ng Masa.
