PUBLIC UTILITY jeepney and UV Express drivers will get a P12-per-liter fuel discount starting Aug. 15, raising the P10-per-liter subsidy in place since April, the Presidential Palace said on Wednesday.
The additional P2-per-liter discount could increase the maximum weekly savings of eligible drivers to as much as P1,800, according to the Office of Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto.
The approved subsidy is lower than the P20-per-liter assistance recommended by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to help public transport operators manage higher fuel and operating costs.
The initial P10-per-liter discount has benefited more than 93,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers since its rollout in April, the Office of the Executive Secretary said.
The increase was approved during a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday chaired by Mr. Recto and attended by other Cabinet officials amid concerns over higher fuel costs linked to the war in the Middle East.
The Department of Energy (DoE) earlier warned that fuel prices could remain volatile in the coming weeks despite recent domestic pump price reductions.
Data from the DoE Oil Industry Management Bureau showed gasoline prices fell by P0.73 per liter from Aug. 4 to 10, while diesel and diesel plus prices declined by P0.60 per liter. Kerosene prices also dropped by P2.09 per liter.
The lower fuel prices were partly offset by higher liquefied petroleum gas prices in August, which rose by P3.67 per kilo.
Beyond fuel assistance, Mr. Recto ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to continue rolling out the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport program for other affected groups, including farmers, fisherfolk and workers in the construction and transport sectors.
“As expected, our countrymen continue to feel the impact of the unrest in the Middle East,” Mr. Recto said in Filipino. “Work must continue, aid must continue and every sector must feel the presence and compassion of the government.”
The Office of the Executive Secretary said Cabinet officials also discussed measures to cushion the economy from inflation risks and prevent increases in the prices of basic commodities. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking