While we’re at this, we are just as concerned over rising consumer prices as the tendency of government to impose higher fines for minor infractions
Recent surveys indicate the majority of Filipinos are much concerned over high prices of most goods and services and believe that government has been unable to control inflation to acceptable levels.
High prices are the main reason for the significant plunge in the approval ratings of the two highest elective officials in recent months.
Even the president has conceded Filipinos are reeling from high prices and the latest ratings reflect popular sentiment.
In response to the urgent need to control conflation, the Marcos administration issued Executive Order 41 late last month directing local government units (LGUs) to suspend the collection of any form of fees upon all types of vehicles transporting goods under Section 153 or 155 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
This is something long overdue.
Over the years, LGUs throughout the country had apparently wracked their brains thinking of ingenious ways to generate additional income.
They came up with pass-thru fees that were imposed upon all motor vehicles transporting goods and passing through any local public roads constructed and funded by them.
These included sticker fees, discharging fees, delivery fees, market fees, toll fees, entry fees, and mayor’s permit fees.
In short, what we have here is legalized extortion.
The result?
Manufacturers simply passed on the additional cost to consumers.
These ranged from 26 to 30 percent of the market price of commodities.
If you pay high prices for consumer goods, that’s because you cough up precious pesos to feed greedy LGUs.
Pursuant to the presidential edict, the Metro Manila Council (MMC) declared a moratorium on the collection of various fees from vehicles bringing goods into the metropolis.
The council, which formulates policies to be enforced by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), enacted Resolution 23-13 suspending the collection of pass-through fees on national roads, as well as “collection of any form of fees upon all motor vehicles…in the interest of public welfare.”
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who presided over the MMC meeting, said the council’s unanimous decision would help bring down the prices of basic goods such as rice, since Metro Manila is the most affected by rising prices of agricultural products transported from the provinces.
Secretary Abalos then met with officials of the Union of Local Authorities of Philippines (ULAP) to discuss national and local collaboration towards implementing EO 41 prohibiting the collection of pass-through fees.
In a meeting with ULAP National President Gov. Dax Cua and other league officials, Abalos urged them to encourage their member leagues and respective constituent LGUs to pass resolutions of support for EO 41 expressing their commitment to align their actions with the objectives of the EO.
“The DILG recognizes that LGUs are essential partners of the national government in achieving national development goals. We, therefore, urge ULAP to mobilize support for EO 41 to facilitate the seamless flow of goods and services throughout the country,” he said.
For his part, Gov. Cua expressed ULAP’s full commitment to the objectives of EO 41 by passing a resolution calling upon all LGUs to immediately comply with the said directive.
At the same time, he said he would ask all LGUs to adhere to the order and enact local ordinances suspending or discontinuing the collection of such fees within their respective jurisdictions.
Will this move from the national government down to LGUs help bring down the prices of consumer goods?
We really hope so. But something tells us we can’t really be sure.
Excessive fines just as repulsive
While we’re at this, we are just as concerned over rising consumer prices as the tendency of government to impose higher fines for minor infractions.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently said it is considering a P1,000 fine for jaywalking on EDSA and C5 roads.
This would double the current fine of P500 for violators.
It appears doubling the fine for jaywalking on two major road arteries in Metro Manila was suggested by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who told MMDA chairman Romando Artes: “Go all the way, maximize it.”
But we think this proposal should be reconsidered as this seems to be ill-conceived and anti-poor.
The Move as One Coalition believes higher penalties are unlikely to be effective against jaywalking.
“People who cross C5 and EDSA are already risking their lives, [which is] of much greater value than the amount of the fine,” the group said.
The government should instead work on making roads capable of serving millions of diverse road users instead of mainly four-wheeled motor vehicles.
The coalition said based on a 2015 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), 79.5 percent of residents in Metro Manila travel by walking or public transportation.
“It is not fair to deny pedestrians safety on streets to make the travel of 6 percent of Filipinos who have cars more convenient.”
They stressed that “people who cross C5 or EDSA on foot are likely doing so because they are left with no choice” since they are physically unable to use a footbridge or because the next pedestrian crossing is very far away.”
We agree wholeheartedly, and urge the MMDA to jettison its proposal by the wayside.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)