The transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) claims that jeepney drivers in Metro Manila are paying more in fuel taxes than the region’s minimum wage.
According to PISTON, with diesel priced at ₱170 per liter, value-added tax and excise tax amount to ₱25 per liter.
A jeepney consuming 30 liters daily pays ₱750 in taxes, or roughly ₱22,500 per month—higher than the ₱695 minimum daily wage in Metro Manila.
The group criticized the Marcos administration for offering “token” solutions to the oil crisis while public funds allegedly go to “corruption, debt payments, and repression.”
PISTON further accused the government of protecting the profits of major oil companies such as Petron, Shell, and Caltex, while aligning with U.S. military aggression.
PISTON is calling for the removal of fuel taxes, a rollback of diesel prices to ₱55 per liter, and an end to U.S. aggression. # (RRN)
