Consumer group Laban Konsyumer Inc. pushed for the continued use of coal for industries to ensure the steady prices of food and basic commodities.
“Coal at the moment remains the number one source of electricity in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Coal is also the cheapest energy resource,” Vic Dimagiba, LKI president and former undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, said.
Dimagiba said LKI earlier opposed the higher excise tax on coal to mitigate the impact of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion law to consumers.
“We estimate at that if cement companies use 60 percent coal, at this proposed excise taxes, one bag of cement will see an increase of P3, P6, P9 per bag over the next three years,” Dimagiba said in previous interviews.
Dimagiba expects the second package of the TRAIN Law to continue providing support to the coal industry.