“Si Juan ay isang bata na ang alam lang gawin ay matulog. Siya ay makupad at ayaw kumilos sa mga ninanais yang gawin. Kaya binansagan siya ng ina na Juan Tamad. Isang araw gusto ni Juan Tamad na kumain ng isang bayabas, ngunit sa sobrang tamad niya ayaw niyang mapagod sa pagpitas nito. Napansin niya na may mga bayabas na nahuhulog sa puno nito. Nagpasya siya na humiga sa ilalim ng puno na katapat ng bunga ng bayabas. Ayon kay Juan ay hihintayin na lamang niya itong mahulog sa kaniyang bibig ”(Adrian Diez). And the legend continues.
I cited the legend in the context of the continuing increases in the retail prices of fuel products and the seeming inaction of the State in extending assistance to the consumers.
No less than the Philippine Statistics Authority headed by Dennis Mapa, whom I regard as a credible and responsible public official, reported that another 3.9 million Filipinos are added to the statistics of 22.26 million Filipinos living in poverty as of December 2021.
In fact, even the Supreme Court in 2019 in the case of Maynilad and Manila Water vs DENR et al. wrote that “Filipino consumers have become such persons of disability deserving protection from the State, as their welfare are increasingly downplayed , endangered and overwhelmed by the excesses of private business as well as that of the State”.
Yet, despite 14 months from January 2021 to February 2022, price increases of fuel products, still the hapless Filipino consumers are in limbo as to when the State's much needed assistance is coming. So, are consumers like Juan Tamad waiting for the fruit to fall into their e- wallets?
In one of my recent columns, I interviewed consumers on their individual ideas on possible State assistance. One such proposal is the immediate suspension of the collection of the excise taxes on fuels and the 12 percent Value Added Tax. The amount per liter savings to consumers is an average of 16 pesos per liter of fuel. That translates to 80 pesos for every 5 liters and will translate to an additional kilo of rice, veggie and fish on a daily basis. That financial assistance will also flow back to the economy and in all cases the State ends with collecting taxes in another form.
Yet, this proposal which is reasonable and doable has fallen on deaf ears and blind eyes. The alleged loss in revenues is de minimis compared to what the State had collected since the Train law in 2018. As I said in media interviews, the State can set the criteria, standards and limitations of the suspension of the collection of the excise taxes and VAT.
Or is the State simply waiting for the crude prices to start going down and therefore render all the debates moot and academic.
This inaction to give the much-needed assistance to the deserving consumers is an illustration of the excesses of the State that no less that the Supreme Court thumbed down in its decision.
So, who is Juan Tamad, the State or the consumers?
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U N Environment Assembly, February 28 to March 2, 2022
Something globally significant is scheduled to take place next week. From February 28 to March 2, governments and other stakeholders will meet online and in Nairobi, Kenya for the resumed session of the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly, or UNEA-5.2, where they will tackle the most pressing environmental challenges facing humanity. Among other things, delegates will decide whether countries should start negotiating for a global treaty on plastic pollution and, most importantly, the mandate of the international negotiating committee (INC) that will be established for this purpose. Groups around the world have signified the need for a robust negotiation mandate that will define how strong the envisioned plastics treaty will be.
As stated by Laban Konsyumer Inc. partner Eco Waste Coalition: “All eyes will be on UNEA-5.2 to see how governments, including our own, will come to an agreement on a robust negotiation mandate that will speed up not decelerate the required global action to stem the tide of toxic plastic pollution.” As proposed in the draft resolution submitted by the governments of Peru and Rwanda and co-sponsored by several member states, including the Philippines, the mandate of “the INC is to develop an international legally binding agreement based on a comprehensive approach to prevent and reduce plastic pollution in the environment, including micro plastics, by promoting a circular economy and addressing the full lifecycle of plastics from production, consumption and design to waste prevention, management and treatment.”
The world will be watching in earnest the outcome of UNEA-5.2.
Atty. Vic Dimagiba, AB, LLB, LLM
President, Laban Konsyumer Inc.
Email at [email protected]