By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Former Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 2016, said, if elected, he will push to have fuel taxes lifted as a means of bringing down commodity prices.

The former senator, who was in Bacolod City recently for a campaign event, explained, “If the cost of transportation is high, prices of goods are also expensive.”

Roxas pointed out, the excise tax from the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law adds P10 per liter. He noted, after speaking with vendors, prices of items such as noodles and sardines have also seen an uptick in prices.

“We must do everything to stop the increase of prices of basic commodities,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, in terms of global oil production, Roxas said the ongoing crisis in Venezuela and instability in the Middle East are contributing to oil prices.

“All this is pushing oil prices up worldwide,” he explained./DGB, WDJ