Fishers seek bigger, sustained oil price rollback

MANILA, Philippines — The latest oil price rollback does not make up for losses incurred by fisherfolk after weeks of successive price increases, according to activist fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

In a statement Tuesday, Sept. 29, Pamalakaya said fuel expenses had risen by more than P180 per fishing trip from Sept. 8 to 28, or about P900 for five fishing trips a week.

Oil companies began implementing another round of price cuts Tuesday, with diesel prices reduced by more than P7 per liter, according to fuel price advisories.

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READ: OIL PRICE WATCH as of Sept. 29, 2026

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Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the latest reduction remained too small compared with the losses suffered by fishers from repeated price increases.

“The reduction in oil prices is far too small compared with the losses suffered by fishers from the successive price increases. Sporadic, small rollbacks amid successive and substantial price hikes should not be celebrated. The government has no systematic plan to significantly bring down the prices of petroleum products,” he said.

“Various sectors have already proposed measures such as removing the excise tax and VAT, as well as repealing the Oil Deregulation Law, which allows oil companies to manipulate prices for their own benefit,” he added.

Group pushes fuel tax cuts

Pamalakaya said removing the excise tax could bring down fuel prices by around P15 to P17 per liter, referring to what it described as the combined burden of excise tax and value-added tax on diesel and gasoline.

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For small fishers who typically consume about 10 liters of fuel per fishing trip, the group said this could translate to roughly P150 in savings per trip.

The group also renewed its call to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law, which it said allows oil companies to manipulate prices for their benefit.

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Hicap said the successive fuel price increases came as fisherfolk were only beginning to return to their livelihood after more than three months of southwest monsoon, or habagat, conditions.

“We had barely returned to fishing after more than three months of the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, when another surge in petroleum prices greeted us. As a result, many fishers have become deeply mired in debt,” he said.

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“The Marcos administration bears significant responsibility and has been negligent in failing to stop the relentless rise in oil prices and the other related crises it has caused,” Hicap added. /dm