As the international community commemorates World Food Day, transport group PISTON says that Marcos Jr.’s disregard for rising oil prices further aggravates hunger and lack of food security in the country as fuel prices are expected to spike again tomorrow, October 18.
“Dahil ang produksyon, distribusyon, at maging ang pag-konsumo ng pagkain sa bansa ay naka-depende pa rin sa langis, malubhang pasanin talaga ng ating mga kababayan ang mataas na presyo ng langis,” said PISTON national president Mody Floranda.
The group says that the Marcos Jr. administration is yet to carry out a sufficient plan to lower food prices, on top of the surging price of oil, declining real wage, widespread joblessness, and chronic homelessness.
“Kaya malinaw na ang kagyat na pag-kontrol sa presyo ng langis sa pamamagitan ng pag-suspinde sa excise tax at VAT sa langis ay hindi lang ang sektor ng transportasyon ang makikinabang. Malaki rin ang ganansya rito ng mahihirap nating kababayan dahil sa pagbaba ng presyo ng langis ay ang pagbaba rin ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin gaya ng pagkain,” added Floranda.
According to PSA data, 5.3 million Filipinos suffered hunger in 2021. PISTON says this is due to neoliberal policies dominating the Philippine economy for decades. The group notes the 1996 Agricultural Tariffication Act, the 1998 Oil Deregulation Law, and the 2019 Rice Tariffication Law are among the policies that paved the way for the unlimited and unregulated importation of food and oil in the country that resulted in higher cost of food at the detriment of local farmers and disadvantaged food producers.
PISTON supports the legitimate call of the rural poor for genuine agrarian reform and an end to liberalization and foreign domination in the country’s food and agriculture. “Ang patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at pagkain, mababang kita ng mga tsuper at mga magsasaka, at maging ang pananatiling mababa ng sahod ng mga manggagawang konsumer, ay indikasyon na walang intensyon si Marcos Jr. na magsilbi sa bayan,” said Floranda. “Tama na ang kaka-party!”