Local fishers were left with no choice but to look for alternative jobs apart from fishing amid the continuous fuel cost hike in the Philippines.
Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) National Chairperson Fernando Hicap, on Friday, June 3, said that the constant increase in the country's fuel cost is “getting worse” now. This, according to Hicap, prompted local fishers to quit fishing and look for alternative jobs to earn a living.
“Marami ngang mga mangingisda na napilitang huminto sa pangingisda dahil sa napakataas na gasolina. Ang iba ay nagtrabaho sa construction, naghanap ng ibang trabaho para may pagkakitaan sa pangangailangan ng pamilya (Many fishermen have been forced to stop fishing because of high fuel prices. Some worked in construction, while others are looking for other jobs to support the needs of their family),” said Hicap in an interview over DWIZ.
The fishers’ group reiterated its demand for the provision of fuel subsidy to help alleviate the burden of soaring fuel costs to small scale fishers. Apart from this, Pamalakaya, among other organizations, urged the national government to temporarily suspend value added tax (VAT) and excise tax on major oil products to immediately decrease the cost of petroleum in the country.