(Eagle News) — On the day that gasoline stations implemented the biggest oil price hike so far this year, people are already feeling the crunch.
On Tuesday morning, March 8, gasoline prices rose by as much as P3.60 per liter. Diesel, which is used by ordinary public utility jeepneys (PUJs), had the highest increase by as much as P5.85. The price of kerosene, used in ordinary cooking stoves and fuel for lighting, rose by as much as P4.10 per liter.
Many fear for the worst as the Russia-Ukraine crisis continued to escalate. There is still no end in sight as Western countries increasingly consider banning oil from Russia to add to the increasing number of sanctions meant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ordinary commuters fear there won’t be much left of their already meager budget with increasing oil prices. They foresee more difficult times ahead as demands for an increase in fare, and increasing prices of basic goods usually follow oil price hikes.
“Siyempre pag nagtaas ang krudo at gasolina maaapektuhan ang mga nagcocommute dahil manghihingi ng taas pasahe ang mga commuters natin, pati mga public vehicles yon. Ang apektado diyan is yung transportasyon ng mga produkto natin katulad ng mga pagkain na inaangkat siyempre mas tataas, hihingi sila ng dagdag. Tataaas ang bilihin natin,” said Robin de Jesus, 32, a motorist and a daily wage earner from Caloocan City.
“Definitely affected kami kasi commuters kami and malaking impact niya not only with the commmodities also dun sa price ng fare hike,” said Gwen, another commuter.
“Mas affected kami talaga dahil hindi naman ganun kalaki yung sinasahod namin and at the same pag– syempre tumaas ang gas, tataas ang pamasahe, magtataas din ang bilihin so talagang hindi maganda yung implications ng oil price hike,” she said.
-“No exit” from woes-
Drivers also fear what this would mean a decrease in their take-home pay. They know that this would affect their savings as their wages remain the same.
“Siyempre kahit papaano ma’am yung sahod natin, hindi naman nagbabago, di tumataas,” noted one driver from Quezon City.
Another young driver who was interviewed observed that this would also have an effect on their company. He said that the trucks at their work tried to fill their tanks a day before the hefty oil price hike.
“Hindi lang kami pati yung company namin. Sana nga bumalik na tayo sa normal ulit,” he said.
But that could still take a while. On Tuesday, March 8, other gasoline stations like Shell already announced on their Facebook post that a bigger price hike could take place next week — as much as P12.80 for diesel, and P8.30 for gasoline.
(Eagle News Service with interviews done by Angelou Ramos, NEU)