Monday, July 14, 2008 Mongaya: Fare hikes to only benefit operators By Anol Mongaya Panahom
LEST our drivers believe that the coming round of fare increases will bring them relief, they should rethink their position now.
The sweeping fare hikes will only push their erstwhile passengers to look for alternatives like car pools, riding bikes, or just walk. Meanwhile, transport operators traditionally look at fare hikes as another opportunity to increase the rent of vehicles.
Come to think of it, the govern-ment’s knee jerk response will not give us the respite we need in the face of rising fuel costs. It will only attract vultures.
Instead, government should do something, anything, to curb the continued increases in fuel prices on the short term.
On the longer view, the increases should push the private sector and government to invest more in the research and development of alternative technologies that use non-oil sources of energy. For so long, we have been complacent. Now, it is just a matter of time that the exhausted populace will just snap and rush head-on into another social upheaval.
Government should not be content that jobs abroad will continue to serve as a safety valve to the social volcano brewing here.
There was a time that we trusted the gurus of free trade who pushed for privatization, the leveling of the playing field, and deregulation. But our faith in such economic panaceas had long been lost with the never-ending rise in fuel prices.
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Environmentalists are again foisting the specter of pollution and other adverse effects of coal-fired plants on ecology and people’s health. One thing these idealists could not understand is that most Cebuanos prefer to risk environment and health than face even an hour of brownouts.
If Cebu changes course now and scraps the construction of new coal-fired plants, will power plants running on renewable energy address Cebu’s power needs by 2010? What technology using renewable energy are they recommending to address a possible power crisis by then?
Environmentalists should not be silent on the fact that power plants running on either solar or wind energy today cannot address Cebu’s baseload needs.
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The emotional voices urging government to permanently stop the operations of Sulpicio Lines are now being drowned out by those worried about the ill-effects on the economy. While our bleeding hearts go all out to seek justice for the hundreds who went down with mv Princess of the Stars weeks back as we fear the possibility of another tragedy, we could not also ignore the delay in cargo shipments of food and other supplies along with the increase in freight cost with the non-sailing of Sulpicio ships that carry 40 percent of the cargo traffic in the country.
The way I look at the situation, one way out would be for the owners of Sulpicio Lines to take the initiative.
Aside from showing remorse for what happened and taking care of the victims’ families, they should go out of their way to demonstrate the ability to learn the bitter lessons of the series of tragedies and finally run a world-class shipping line. If they believe they cannot do so, I think they should proceed to invest their millions in other pursuits and avoid the business of sailing floating coffins.
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The emergence of the so-called carton prostitutes is a sign of the times. These teenage girls in poor communities at the reclamation area deem they don’t have any other option to earn money.
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The real motive of Genaro “Janjan” Jorolan of the Black Suede controversy is crystal clear after filing another complaint against the doctors. Come to think of it, had he not filed a complaint, nobody except himself and the doctors would know whose butt that was shown in the Youtube.com video.
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Roxas, author of Senate Bill 1962 seeking a six-month suspension of the VAT on oil, is stumped at the discordant voices of President Arroyo’s economic team on his proposal. Neda acting Director-General Augusto Santos said the government is open to a lowering of VAT on oil. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said that such a move would only benefit the rich.
Presidential Economic Adviser and Albay Gov. Jose Salceda suggested limited VAT for petroleum products. Meanwhile, the people’s sufferings worsen.
