Matapos ang ikawalong sunod na pagtataas sa presyo ng produktong petrolyo, nanawagan si House Deputy Minority Leader at Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate sa Kongreso na ipasa ang panukala na magre-regulate sa downstream oil industry.

“Deregulation has allowed oil price increases to go unchecked,” sabi ni Zarate.

Inihain ni Zarate at iba pang miyembro ng Makabayan bloc ang House Bill 4711 noong Setyembre 2019 na magreregulate sa industriya ng produktong petrolyo. Nakabinbin ito sa House Committee on Energy.

“With petroleum as a sensitive commodity, because price directly affects the cost of almost all other commodities and services, including essentials such as food, housing, social services, as well as transportation, deregulation has given transnational oil corporations even more leeway to influence the country’s cost of living, livelihoods, business and commerce, employment, and the National Budget,” punto ni Zarate.

Upang maproteksyunan ang publiko sa malakihan at biglaang pagtataas, nais ng panukala na itayo ang petroleum regulatory council at maglagay ng buffer fund na magagamit upang bawasan ang presyo ng produktong petrolyo na ibebenta sa publiko.

Kapag tumaas ang presyo sa pandaigdigang pamilihan, gagamitin ang buffer fund para mabawasan ang pagtaas na ipapasa sa mga konsyumer.

“We hope that the House leadership and the Department of Energy (DOE) would also push for the speedy approval of this bill so that we can help our countrymen,” sabi ni Zarate. (Billy Begas)