Manibela calls for fuel price rollback, amendment to Oil Deregulation Law

Transport group MANIBELA on Thursday called for a rollback in petroleum prices and an amendment to the Oil Deregulation Law despite not being repealed by the government.

“Sana i-roll back yung presyo ng petrolyo (We hope the price of petroleum will be rolled back)," MANIBELA President Mar Valbuena said in The Agenda Forum on Thursday.

“Kung hindi man mabasura ang oil deregulation law at least ma-amyendahan na pabor sa taumbayan at hindi lang pabor sa mga negosyante o mga oil companies (If the Oil Deregulation Law cannot be repealed, then at least let it be amended in favor of the people and not just in favor of businessmen or oil companies),” the transport group chairman added.

Valbuena argued that the Oil Deregulation Law has been used by oil companies to take advantage of consumers.

He also urged the Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to implement the unbundling of petroleum prices.

“Ipakita natin kung gaano ba talaga ang kinikita ng mga oil companies na ito (Let us show how much these oil companies are really earning),” Valbuena said.

The MANIBELA president, meanwhile, reiterated his call to unbundle fuel prices without repealing the Oil Deregulation Law.

“Para makita natin magkano iyong cost ng mga fuel pagdating dito sa atin o bago maikarga doon sa ating mga sakakayan (So that, we can see how much the fuel costs when it arrives here or before it is loaded into our vehicles),” the transport group chair pointed out.