By Gabriela Baron
A week before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA), transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) decried the rising fuel prices and inflation.
Citing Philippine Statistics Authority data, PISTON National President Mody Floranda said “jeepney drivers experience the direct effect of oil price hikes,” noting that transport inflation soared 17.1% in June.
Meanwhile, the price of diesel also rose to around 92.5% from last year’s price.
“Bagama’t may dalawang magkasunod na [rollback] nitong mga nakaraang linggo, hindi pa rin ito sapat para mamuhay nang maayos ang mga jeepney driver. Pang-walong [rollback] pa lang itong nangyari ngayong taon, kumpara sa 20 beses na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis,” Floranda said.
The three-year high inflation, according to IBON, “has pushed real wages to further fall.”
The inflation in Metro Manila drove the real value of the minimum wage to 10% less than at the start of the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Inflation-adjusted wages this June are 9.8-15.8% lower than the current minimum wage. This means the recently increased P570 minimum wage in [National Capital Region] is only equivalent to P508.02,” PISTON said. – ag
