By Tracy Cabrera
Transportation acting secretary ‘Banoy’ Lopez. (Photo from Panay News)
DILIMAN, Quezon City — The recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East is pushing international crude prices higher, placing immense pressure on local shipping operators and prompting calls for fare increases. Government authorities, however, have moved quickly to intervene and prevent predatory pricing.
Expecting the worst, transportation officials have enforced a 20-percent cap on fare increases even as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) debunked claims that port fees are driving inflation while tensions in the Middle East continue to affect global oil prices.
The ongoing hostilities involving Iran, the United States, Israel, and their allies have pushed international crude prices to more than US$100 per barrel.
In a preemptive move, Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez imposed a 20-percent limit on maritime fare increases and urged passengers to report shipping companies that exceed the cap.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago dismissed calls to suspend government port charges, noting that these fees account for less than one percent of the retail price of basic goods. Logistical data also show that shipping and trucking make up about 85 percent of total transport costs.
Santiago also confirmed that terminal fees remain waived for senior citizens, students, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and uniformed personnel. To support President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call to conserve fuel and energy, the PPA has implemented a four-day workweek while the crisis persists, along with a “no-idling” policy to help reduce energy consumption.
elamigo/xf
