A group of fishers on Saturday, March 14, criticized what it described as the government’s “slow-paced and insufficient” distribution of fuel subsidies as rising oil prices continue to burden small fishers.

Progressive fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said successive “big-time” increases in fuel prices are forcing municipal fisherfolk to reduce their fishing activities.

The group reported a 60 percent increase in fuel costs for municipal fisherfolk, forcing them to shorten fishing trips from the usual eight to 10 hours to only four to six hours a day.

“The ever-rising production cost especially on fuel forced us to lessen our fishing activities. This will affect the local fish supply and market prices,” Pamalakaya Chairperson Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

Based on its latest study, the group said fisherfolk who typically consume eight to 10 liters of fuel per trip are facing higher operating costs as diesel prices reach around P80 per liter this week.

Moreover, Pamalakaya denounced Marcos administration’s limited fuel subsidy coverage for fisherfolk.

“Mabagal na nga, kulang-kulang pa. Sa halos tatlong milyong rehistradong mangingisda sa buong bansa, nasa 23,000 lamang ang mapapagkalooban ng kakarampot na fuel subsidy na nagkakahalaga ng P3,000 kada indibidwal. Apat na araw lamang mapapakinabangan ito ng benepisyaryong mangingisda (The rollout is already slow and still insufficient. Out of nearly three million registered fisherfolk nationwide, only about 23,000 will receive the meager fuel subsidy worth P3,000 per individual. This will only last the beneficiary fisherfolk for four days),” said Hicap.

He added that it was clear the government has no comprehensive plan to assist struggling sectors amid the continuing rise in oil prices and other expenses.

Per Pamalakaya, only about 23,000 of the country’s 2.7 million registered fisherfolk are expected to benefit from the subsidy program.

It can be recalled that the fisherfolk group has been calling for the removal of value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes on petroleum products, which it said add P15 to P17 per liter to fuel prices.

Fuel prices have risen significantly in recent weeks due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and supply worries in the global oil market, prompting the government to implement subsidy programs.