Pandemic, pump price hikes shock 'barely surviving' trucking industry

MANILA—A transport group on Wednesday lamented the series of increases in petroleum prices, saying the trucking industry is "barely surviving" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Apart from that, napakaraming mga regulations, local and national, na hindi nagsasang-ayon sa bawat isa. Walang synchronization, walang synergy. Barely coping ang mga truckers, barely coping ang buong industriya ng transportation," Rina Papa, vice president of Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations, said in a TeleRadyo interview. 

(Apart from that, there are many regulations, local and national, that are not aligned with each other. There's no synchronization, synergy. Truckers and the whole transportation industry are barely coping.)

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Pump prices in Metro Manila now range from P54.05 to P72.24 a liter for unleaded gasoline.

Papa said the trucking industry had not received help from the government since the start of the pandemic.

"Walang natatanggap na ayuda at wala ring natatanggap na suporta in terms of policy implementation," she said.

(We have not received help and support in terms of policy implementation.)

While the trucking industry was allowed to operate during the pandemic, their operations were hampered by different policies of local government units and the series of oil price hikes.

Papa said many of their members had ceased operations after failing to pay their monthly amortizations.

Amid continuing increase in oil prices, she also supports call to suspend the excise tax on fuel as it will ease the burden on the transport industry.

"We also need support to survive and to thrive dito sa pandemya na ito (in this pandemic)," Papa said.