SINCE the start of the conflict in the Middle East, the price of diesel has skyrocketed from ₱50 per liter to ₱170, with even more increases on the way. This is not just a statistic—this is a daily burden crushing Filipino drivers, workers, farmers, and small businesses.
In response, the administration has pushed for excise tax cuts and selective cash assistance. But let’s be honest—these are stopgap solutions. They offer short-term relief, are not always the most equitable, and leave ordinary Filipinos to face the same problem again tomorrow.
What we need are real, pro-people solutions.
We can establish an oil price stabilization fund to control diesel prices at the pump and protect our people from global shocks. And yes—we have the money to do this.
By the administration’s own figures, ₱118 billion has been lost to flood control projects—money that could have directly helped Filipinos struggling with rising fuel prices. And yet, the DPWH continues to enjoy a massive ₱529-billion budget.
Gikawatan na dako, pero business as usual gihapon.
Right now, the most urgent crisis is the rising cost of fuel—and the economic disaster that follows: higher transport fares, rising food prices, and deeper hardship for the poor. ₱118 billion could have been a lifeline. Naa unta kita bala sa giyera karon.
Instead of focusing on this crisis, some in the House have chosen to prioritize political distractions.
But the Filipino people cannot eat politics. They cannot ride on speeches. They cannot survive on promises.
They need relief. They need action. They need leadership.
As prices continue to climb and basic goods become harder to afford, the question remains—if we have the money, why are we not using it to protect our people?
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