So, fare is hiked
by 50 centavos

Fares have been raised by 50 centavos. And that means nothing to our government officials. They have not tried to imagine how that increased fare would impact on household expenses. Especially on the parents of school children.

And, yes, they have not even considered the possibility of raising the daily wages of working people. UNDOC however, seems to have felt the impact of the fare increase.

The impact of the fare increase still will hit all of us hard. That means even for students and schoolchildren. Their parents of course. After all they are the ones who will bear the brunt of the problem and try to make both ends meet.

But even that fare increase does not relieve the jeepney drivers of there complete regarding dwindling take-home pay.

The drivers, according to UNDOC secretary general Jessie Ortega, focused their plaint same issue – review of the Oil Deregulation Law and the removal of the value added tax on petroleum products, reports said.

Unfortunately, even now, the DOE has yet to come out with the answer to the clamors local commuters and vehicles owners that the local price of fuel in 50 centavos higher in Negros than in Metro Manila. And the DOE has yet to answer the problem which could, at ease our plight.

Perhaps, DOE Secretary Almendras is waiting for local residents to mount a Noynoying protest against his failure to respond to the clamor of local residents.

It seems to have gone over their heads that even President Benigno Aquino III had been hurt by the Noynoying protest method which has been gaining ground in Metro Manila and the environs.

Why, yesterday, he went to the extent of a photo showing him scooping up a stack of documents prepared to attend a series of meetings at the Palace last Tuesday.

And, so what do we do?

If the government response is taken at face value, the Oil Deregulation Law is going to be revised abrogated. And neither will the government give up the VAT on petroleum products.

That is the result of government homework. Nothing more on the problems the fare rate increase is creating havoc with the pocketbook of the ordinary man in the streets. Neither will there be the expected increase in minimum wages because the big bus establishments are against it. Understandable? After all, they are just going to pass it to the general public.

Top government officials should develop a holistic view of the situation. Of course, one cannot stop gasoline increases because we import what we use for our industrial and business establishments.

So, the answer is E-motors. Unfortunately, they cost a lot to buy.Meanwhile, what happens to us with the escalating prices fuel. The country’s problems could be paralyzing to even the geniuses at the helm of the government. But there are none. None who have developed that broad view of the nation’s problems.

Then, you have the increase in the electric rates of Ceneco. And the government seems to be the culprit for this “temporary” situation reportedly this will last only until next month.

So, we can only grin and hear it. And pray hard that we can survive the forthcoming catastrophic impact on our dwindling earnings. And sing paeans to our top government officials and their anti-corruption slogans and focus our attention on Senate impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Meanwhile, on another front, the Commission on Audit seems to have been pussyfooting on the issue of the award of the prime government lands to Ayala Land Corp. The SMPHI seems hell bent on winning the biddings. Or try at least to delay the process until the provincial government surrenders and find itself also confronted by another suit from Ayala.

This is the time, just before the Holy Week, when we should be able to take stock of our situation and pray hard to God to spare us the forthcoming deluge of trouble and headaches for most of us.

That may sound humorous. Unfortunately, that is the only way we can ask or expect God to bail us out of our problems which seem insoluble.

Meanwhile, it seems that most of us are focused on how we can spend our vacation to the limit of our capabilities.

C’est la vie!*

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