PISTON denounced the latest predatory fuel price increases that slam public utility drivers in the first week of 2025, deepening their economic crisis.
Diesel prices has surged by P1.40 per liter on Tuesday, while gasoline and kerosene prices has jumped by P1 per liter, driving retail diesel prices around P56 per liter in the National Capital Region.
PISTON warns this latest assault on drivers’ livelihoods will strip away around P100 in daily income — equivalent to almost 1.5 kilos of rice that could feed a family of four for two days.
According to PISTON National President and Makabayan senatorial candidate Mody Floranda, “This is truly a heavy blow because drivers are still trying to recover their income after the long school and office break and from their holiday spending during Christmas and New Year.”
The group blasted the Marcos administration’s economic priorities, saying it favors pork-laden funds and infrastructure projects while imposing harsh austerity measures on the working class.
“The new year is far from prosperous for many drivers and ordinary Filipinos,” said Floranda, “due to the worsening economic crisis and lack of living wages. This can no longer guarantee that millions of Filipinos maintain a decent quality of life.”
The group argues that government deregulation of basic commodities, including fuel, food, and energy, represents a calculated scheme to rip-off ordinary Filipinos while funneling profits to the rich.