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Pumps at a gas station in Naguilan, Isabela are draped in plastic as protection against winds and rain on October 24, 2024 with Severe Tropical Storm Kristine expected to make landfall in the area late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.  Local disaster officials and residents in Santiago City, Isabela are bracing for the impact of Kristine as it battered parts of the country which has so far killed 7 and forced thousands of people to evacuate. JJonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- The Department of Energy (DOE) would support reinstating an option for the suspension of fuel excise tax, according to DOE budget sponsor Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez. Under the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law, the government can suspend the excise tax if the price of Dubai crude reaches $80 per barrel. But this provision has already expired.During the plenary deliberations on the DOE’s 2026 budget on Friday, Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago asked if the DOE would take action after Hernandez said new legislation is needed for the executive branch to intervene in suspending the excise tax.“It is the position of the DOE that, of course, the option of suspending the excise tax and even if, however, the power to suspend has already expired. But they will support this. But it would depend on the DOF on fiscal policy,” Hernandez said.Elago later said they are not for suspension of the excise taxes on oil and petroleum products, but rather totally scrapping this.“Isa ho kami sa mga tumutol sa TRAIN law dahil dito sa excise tax niya sa oil and petroleum product. At nababahala tayo na ‘yung pinasok natin na provision para sana protektahan ‘yung ating transport sector, lahat ng gumagamit ng langis at petroleum products ay maprotektahan, pero wala na sa ngayon,” Elago said.<div> </div><div>TINIO QUESTIONS IMPACT OF PUSH FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY </div>The government’s push for renewable energy, with a target of reaching 35 percent renewable energy by 2028 and 50 percent by 2040, will lead to lower energy costs, Hernandez said. Before this, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned the impact of this in the near future given “massive investment” expected for this.“To develop renewable energy, of course, there are high initial costs, ‘di ba? These are high cost new technologies like, for example, offshore wind, nuclear power. Malalaki ang mga investment niyan. Kailangang i-recover. Ibig sabihin, tataas ang presyo,” Tinio said.The DOE’s target is for costs to be reduced by P1.3 per kWh by 2030, Hernandez added.“I think because of the situation that we’re dependent on imported oil. However, with the target of DOE, by 2030, the cost will be reduced by P1.3 per kWh,” Hernandez said.

The DOE would support reinstating an option for the suspension of fuel excise tax, according to the solon sponsoring the agency's budget.

The DOE would support reinstating an option for the suspension of fuel excise tax, according to the solon sponsoring the agency's budget.

DOE to support having option to suspend fuel excise tax: solon

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DOE to support having option to suspend fuel excise tax: solon

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 26, 2025 06:54 PM PHT

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Department of Energy

fuel

excise tax

TRAIN Law

presyo ng gas

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