HOW to address the rising cost of goods and services due to inflation and the soaring prices of fuel are among the issues some Cebuanos want President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to address in his first State of the Nation Address (Sona) Monday, July 25, 2022.
Marcos is set to deliver his first Sona at the Batasan Pambansa Monday afternoon.
Darryl Singson, a Grab delivery rider, said the rising fuel prices affected his job.
"Minus-minusan nang gasolina kay limit nalang mi mobiyahe tungod sa kamahal sa gasolina. Kay kung mous-os ang gasolina, mous-os man usab ang presyo sa mga panaliton kay momahal ang gasolina, momahal man usab ang panaliton," he said.
Christine Fuentes said the high price of basic goods is too much for the ordinary people, especially for the minimum wage earners.
"Hangyo unta namo maus-usan ilabi na ang bugas og uban pang mga panaliton kay grabe na kataas sa presyo sa mga panaliton," she said.
For Art Baguio, a college student, he hopes Marcos will focus on recovery from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
"Mayta tutukan niya (President Marcos) ang mga frontliners ug ang pandemic, arun ma-eradicate and pandemic," he said.
Recently, Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the inflation rate soared to 6.1 percent in June as food, fuel and transport prices continued to increase.
“The uptrend of inflation for June 2022 was primarily brought about by the higher annual growth rate in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages at six percent, from 4.9 percent in the previous month,” the state statistics bureau said.
But it was within the 5.7 to 6.5 percent forecast of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
National Statistician Dennis Mapa said they expected inflation to continue rising based on the data gathered so far.
The BSP has already raised its benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 percent this year to help tame inflation. (EHP/With CSL)