By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY – Senatorial and partylist aspirants on Tuesday (Feb. 18) spoke their hearts out and categorically said that they would push for the repeal of the TRAIN Law, Oil Deregulation Law, free world class education when they get elected in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
During the Kapihan sa Eurotel Media Forum hosted by Dr. Danilo Mangahas and journalist Alvin Pelobelo, Mar Balbuena, senatorial aspirant and president of Manibela, said that their colleague jeepney drivers and even bus drivers, and UV drivers are pitiful because of the fourth or fifth increase in the price of petroleum products.
Balbuena said that the amount of P300 is the average that is deducted from their income because of the oil price increase.
He added that the government should at least reduce the price of oil products by way of deduction in the excise tax or at least suspend the TRAIN Law. However, the price of petroleum products has already surpassed P100 per liter and yet the TRAIN Law has not yet been suspended.
Balbuena said that because of these increase in the price of petroleum products, the inflation will skyrocket which will result in the increase in the price of basic and food services.
He does not support the proposal to increase the fare from P13 to P15 such that it has no effect at all in their daily income.
Balbuena clarified that they are not included in the petitioners for the fare increase of P15 from P13, saying that if the Pasang Masda would stage a transport strike, their group will not participate in such a transport strike.
He expressed the hope that they will have a dialogue with the new DOTR Secretary Vince Dizon, noting that former DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista has been “phased out”, but Manibela still manages to overcome the difficulties of the jeepney modernization.
Balbuena said that they are not saying that they do not want modernization, but what they want is the PUV Modernization Program, which has already become “bankrupt” such that many of those who opted for consolidation failed in the process.
He believes if you do not come from the sector, you will have difficulty in solving the failed jeepney modernization. He cited the Clark Development Authority, which modernized or converted the bases for the Aeta tribes but to no avail.
Balbuena stressed that the price of petroleum products should be decreased by way of a reserves of oil products so that if there’s an increase in the price of oil in the world market, the country can cope up with such an increase.
He is hoping that the Oil Deregulation Law should be repealed in the sense that only the rich big oil companies have benefitted from such a law.
The P4,000 “ayuda” will already be spent in a month’s time, Balbuena said, adding that, if the amount for such ayuda will be used to generate more jobs, it would be more beneficial for the Filipino nation.
As a senatorial aspirant, Balbuena is fighting for the sake and welfare of all drivers and commuters as they have dignity in addressing the predicaments of the drivers who are being caught for whatever traffic violation.
The senatorial aspirant is pushing for more classrooms, hire more teachers, and more books for students nationwide.
Balbuena depends on the significant role of the media in providing the right and accurate information as to the programs and advocacy of Manibela.
“We have seen that the work of the Committees on Justice and the Good Government was just the same but they did not finish their job,” Balbuena said.
He urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to stop politics, don’t listen or ignore what others are telling him and “Man up” and stand for what is for the benefit of the Filipino people.
Balbuena is prepared to put at stake his life, liberty and property for the Filipino people, saying that the state has filed 22 charges against him, which he thinks have been dismissed even from the prosecutor’s office.
He is also against the privatization of the EDSA Bus way, saying that other foreign countries are patronizing the mass transportation, but in the Philippines, more acquisition of private cars is on.
“Ang political dynasty ang nagpapahirap sa isang lugar. Reklamo tayo nang reklamo. Boto naman tayo nang boto. Iboto natin ang tama para sa interes ng bayan. Manalo, matalo at least nabitbit namin ang isyu ng bayan,” Balbuena said.
If elected as Senator in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, Balbuena will repeal the Oil Deregulation Law. He will push for the passage of the Balbuena Law for the creation of more jobs and retain the iconic jeepney as part of Filipino culture.
He will strictly implement the TRAIN LAW, particularly on the suspension of the Excise Tax when the price of petroleum products has surpassed the prescribed limit.
For his part, Rovin Andrew Feliciano, nominee of TODA Aksyon Partylist, said that they will advocate for the welfare of the PUJs and tricycles in the barangays and sitios. The fare for Puj is regulated by the national government while the tricycles is regulated by the local government unit.
Because of the TRAIN Law, there is a P10 excise tax for oil per liter, with value added tax (VAT).
If the tricycle is increased, some sectors of the society are complaining.
As of 2022 based on the data of LTO (Land Transportation Office), 1.5 million tricycles are registered all over the country, excluding the “colorum”, often times, a tricycle has two drivers – one for morning shift and one for night shift.
If elected as Partylist Congressman in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, Feliciano would like a clear policy for the SSS (Social Security System), PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.), and Pag-IBIG membership fand retirement benefits or the tricycle drivers, the premiums of which they could not afford in the sense that they are prioritizing the expenses for their house and families, respectively.
He would also revisit and review the TRAIN Law as well as the Oil Deregulation Law.
Feliciano noted that tricycle drivers have been contributing billions of pesos to the government coffers, hence, he would push for free education for even just one of the children of every jeepney driver.
If it is computed, a tricycle driver pays a P25,000 tax every month to the government.
Feliciano stressed that all government employees should undergo the drug test.
“No partylist has ever represented the tricycle drivers for the longest time,” he said.
“Kathang-isip ang survey sa partylist. Ang mga partyist na nagtatago sa mga programa ng gobyerno ay kilala na,” Feliciano said.
Feliciano has been a barangay captain and a city councilor in Valenzuela City before.
“Online application is not bad. We are not against it. It helps the facilitation of business,” he said.
