Lawmakers weigh fuel tax suspension as pump prices climb

Members of the House Committee on Ways and Means reconvened Thursday to continue deliberations on a proposed suspension of the fuel excise tax, citing the "mounting burden" of rising energy costs on Filipino consumers.

Lawmakers are weighing the suspension as a way to provide immediate relief from volatile global oil prices.

During the hearing, Representative Nathaniel Oducado of the 1Tahanan Party-list argued that motorists and households are currently facing two layers of taxation on every liter of fuel: the value-added tax and the excise tax.

"We cannot ask Filipinos to keep tightening their belts while fuel prices keep climbing and taxes remain stacked on every liter," Oducado said. "If oil already comes with global volatility, we should not be adding unnecessary weight at the pump."

The hearing included officials from the Department of Energy, private oil companies, and other government agencies.

A central point of the discussion involved identifying which regulatory body should take the primary role in monitoring domestic price increases.

Oducado said the committee aims to find a policy that balances public welfare with fiscal responsibility. He added that the review seeks to create a more responsive regulatory framework to strengthen oversight of pricing practices.

The committee is expected to continue its evaluation in upcoming sessions, focusing on economic data and the potential impact a tax suspension would have on government revenue.