Senate Leader Pushes for Fuel Excise Tax Suspension Amid Crude Price Surge

Philippine Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian is urging economic managers to suspend excise taxes on gasoline and diesel. He claims that crude prices above $80 a barrel provide sufficient justification for temporary relief.

Gatchalian made the call after Brent crude recently traded around $102 per barrel, while Dubai crude has reached or exceeded $80 per barrel for one month under the Mean of Platts Singapore benchmark.

The senator pointed out that logistics companies rely on diesel and gasoline, which ultimately pass expenses on to food and other essential goods. He had previously proposed suspending excise taxes on gasoline specifically to prevent rising transport costs from spilling into prices for basic commodities.