ANGELES CITY – A law maker has pushed for a congressional inquiry on allegations that oil companies have been overpricing fuel products by P9 per liter since 2010, saying this has already severely affected the country’s fishing productivity.
Because of the high cost of fuel, some 1.3 million small fishermen have reduced their fishing activities from 12 to four hours, and from six days a week to only four days, said Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano in filing House Resolution No. 1779.
Mariano said the series of apparently unhampered increases of fuel prices in the country has already severely impacted on the lives of small fishermen and the fishing industry.
“Congressional investigation should be conducted to determine why oil companies have overpriced the cost of petroleum products by P9 per liter since 2010,” he said.
Mariano said the fuel price increases, coupled with the continuing imposition of the 12 percent expanded value added tax (E-VAT) have exacted their toll heavily on the productivity of small fishermen who use fuel.
“To date, there are 1.3 million small fishermen in the country who regularly use an average of five liters to ten liters of oil per fishing trip across the country,” he noted.
Citing a study conducted by the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Mariano said the amount spent for fuel alone constitutes 80 percent of the total production cost per fishing activity.
Pamalakaya’s study further revealed that there are 313,985 small fishing boat operators in the country who spend P300 to P600 for oil per fishing trip, compared to P180 which they spend for fuel per trip in 2001.
“The weekly increases in the prices of petroleum products have pushed small fishermen operating small motorized boats to reduce fishing hours from the normal 12 hours to only four hours because of the high prices of gasoline and other oil products,” he said.
Mariano also noted that “a significant number of fishermen cut fishing activities per week from the normal six days a week to three to four days a week due to successive increases in the prices of petroleum products.”
Mariano said a growing number of small fishermen have instead devoted more time for other jobs such as being tricycle drivers or construction workers.
“Even commercial fishing operators are also suffering from the unstoppable hikes in the prices of petroleum products because 65 percent of the operating costs go to fuel consumption,” he noted.
Mariano cited a report indicating that 50,000 fish workers lost their jobs as 14 tuna canneries in Western Mindanao engaged in tuna fishing and canning closed shop or downsized their operations as a result of oil price hikes and E-VAT.
“The overpricing, continuous increase and imposition of 12 percent E-VAT on petroleum products will further push small fisherfolk to destitution and lead to the possible collapse of the fishing industry,” Mariano said.
