Quezon City — Greenpeace called on the government to prioritize fossil fuel phase-out after fuel and food prices primarily drove Philippine inflation rates up to 7.2% this April1—a sharp increase from 4.1% a month prior. The economic shock was attributed by the government to the US-Israel war on Iran2, which pushed oil prices to extreme highs across the country. The group also demanded that Marcos keep corporations at bay from taking advantage of the crisis and blocking the country’s transition to renewable energy.
Greenpeace Senior Climate Campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin said:
“Filipinos are being hit from all sides, and rising prices are just the most visible sign. President Ferdinand Marcos must seriously consider regulating the prices of goods and services amid the energy crisis, and temporarily suspending value added tax (VAT) to support households3 from crippling inflation. Aside from this, the repeal of the Oil Deregulation law must be explored as it only enabled the super rich and fossil fuel corporations to squeeze out what little money Filipinos have left in their pockets. Immediate relief must include steps to stop corporations from profiteering amid people’s suffering.
Hindi nagsisinungaling ang mga numero: isasadlak ng krisis na ito ang mga Pilipino sa mas matinding gutom at kahirapan. Our dependence on dirty energy sources are keeping our people exposed to fossil fuel markets and rising costs. When crises erupt in oil producing countries and fuel prices hike, ordinary Filipinos ultimately pay the price of higher transport fares, electricity bills, even the price of food and basic goods. And with the threat of a possible Super El Niño, even greater strain on our resources and systems is already on the horizon.
What we need now, more than just protection from price shocks, is a clear path away from what keeps causing them. The country has to start phasing out its dependence on fossil fuels, and the government must lay out a comprehensive plan where a just transition to renewable energy is front and center.
The plan must also include making polluters pay–holding fossil fuel companies accountable for the costs they have long shifted onto Filipino communities. At the same time, the government must ensure fair and sustainable funding for social protection. We demand that the super rich be taxed to fund programs like the 4Ps electricity subsidy mandated under Republic Act No. 11552.4
More Filipinos are adopting alternative energy sources such as solar rooftops in the hopes of staying afloat in this economy. Initiatives such as these must be supported by the state, instead of instituting crackdowns and further restrictions on renewables as distributors like Meralco proposed.5 Clean, locally available energy can help stabilize prices, and build our resilience against climate shocks and global crises.
Filipinos should not be the ones paying for a system that is failing them. The government must act now to end fossil fuel dependence, make polluters pay, and tax the richest to fund real, lasting solutions.”
Notes to the editor:
[1] Inflation quickens to 7.2 percent in April
[2] Gov’t ramps up efforts to ease Mid-East crisis impact on inflation
[4] Expanded Lifeline Rate Law gives 100% discount to 4Ps households
[5] Meralco urges crackdown on ‘guerilla’ solar setups, tighter rules
For more information and interview requests, please contact:
James Relativo, Communications Campaigner
Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63919 069 3424
