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Palace: Duterte keeps fuel excise tax, OKs P200 monthly subsidy for poor families

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Buko vendor Rosel Borante pays for P50 worth of fuel at a nearby station after running out of gas and being forced to push her motorcycle along UN Avenue in Manila on March 15, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/16/20220315-buko-vendor-gas-price-hike-jc-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Buko vendor Rosel Borante pays for P50 worth of fuel at a nearby station after running out of gas and being forced to push her motorcycle along UN Avenue in Manila on March 15, 2022. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATE )— President Rodrigo Duterte has approved a P200 monthly subsidy for poor Filipino families as an alternative to suspending fuel excise taxes amid skyrocketing oil prices, Malacañang said on Wednesday. </p><p>The Department of Finance on Tuesday recommended a P33.1 billion subsidy for the &quot;bottom 50 percent of all Filipino households,&quot; instead of suspending fuel taxes, which it said would &quot;benefit more the people who have cars and the other richer people.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/16/22/dof-seeks-p33-b-subsidy-for-bottom-50-pct-of-ph-families">Dominguez seeks P33 billion subsidy for poor Pinoy households amid rising fuel prices</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Inaprubahan ng Pangulo ang dalawang rekomendasyon ng Department of Finance o DOF kaugnay sa pagtaas ng fuel prices. Una, ang pag-retain ng fuel excise taxes... At pangalawa, ang pagbibigay ng targeted subsidies,&quot; said acting Palace spokesman and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. </p><p>(The President approved the two recommendations of the Department of Finance related to rising fuel prices. First, retaining fuel excise taxes.... And second, the distribution of targeted subsidies.) </p><p>A moratorium on fuel excise taxes imposed by the TRAIN Law would &quot;reduce government revenues by P105.9 billion&quot; and affect funds for social programs, Andanar said in a press briefing. </p><p>Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier said some 12 million poor households will benefit from the monthly subsidy. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/15/22/suspensyon-ng-fuel-excise-tax-inihirit-ng-mga-drayber">Suspensyon ng fuel excise tax, inihirit ng mga drayber</a></li></ul><p>Authorities are finalizing when to distribute the P200 monthly subsidy, Andanar said. The Department of Budget and Management will release guidelines on this, he added.</p><p>A budget circular will indicate whether the social welfare department or local governments will distribute the aid. The agency has a list of possible beneficiaries which government used for pandemic cash assistance, Andanar said. </p><p>Oil companies on Tuesday increased the price of diesel by as much as P13.15 per liter and gasoline by P7.10 per liter.</p><div><strong> NOT ENOUGH </strong></div><p>Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes said the P200 monthly subsidy would not be enough for basic commodities. </p><p>&quot;So out of touch are Duterte and his economic managers that they think giving people P200 a month will assuage the burdens they face everyday,&quot; Reyes said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nato.reyes/posts/10160447474089311">Facebook post</a>.</p><p>Sen. Grace Poe described the cash aid as a &quot;pittance,&quot; saying the daily P6.66 it amounted to would not be enough for jeepney fare. </p><p>Poe said she hoped government would reconsider the suspension of fuel excise taxes. </p><p>Sen. Francis Pangilinan shared this sentiment. </p><p>&quot;Bababa ang presyo ng produktong petrolyo, mas marami ang makikinabang, makakagaan ito nang kaunti sa araw-araw na paghihirap ng ating mga kababayan,&quot; he said. </p><p>(Pump prices will go down, more people will benefit from this and would somehow ease the daily suffering of our compatriots.)</p><p>In an interview on the sideline of his visit to Sarangani, Sen. Manny Pacquiao pointed out that P200 a month is not enough, adding that the government should give more if it can.</p><p>&quot;Kung yan lang ang kaya ng gobyerno, eh bakit hindi? Pero kung may pondo naman ang gobyerno, bakit hind lakihan?&quot; said the presidential aspirant.</p><p>(If that is only what the government can give, then why not? But if the government has enough funds, then why not give more?)</p><p>The government stands to lose some P138.8 billion in revenues this year alone if fuel taxes are waived, the DOF said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/09/22/suspending-fuel-taxes-to-hit-govt-services-dbm-says">DBM warns of impact of suspending fuel excise taxes on government services</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/15/22/ph-to-lose-p1388-b-this-year-if-fuel-taxes-waived-dof">DOF: Philippines to lose over P138.8 billion this year if fuel taxes suspended</a></li></ul><p>The agency also noted that higher income households accounted for nearly 49 percent of fuel consumption, while lower-income families accounted for only 13.8 percent. </p><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1965118" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>- with a report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

President Duterte approved a P200 monthly subsidy for poor Filipino families as an alternative to suspending fuel excise taxes. 

Palace: Duterte keeps fuel excise tax, OKs P200 monthly subsidy for poor families

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Palace: Duterte keeps fuel excise tax, OKs P200 monthly subsidy for poor families

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 16, 2022 01:36 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 16, 2022 09:43 PM PHT

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P200 cash transfer

200 subsidy poor families

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