A call to open up the full breakdown of fuel prices took center stage in the Senate on Wednesday as lawmakers confronted rising petroleum costs and renewed pressure for policy action.
Sen. Imee Marcos pushed for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2007, which seeks to amend the Oil Deregulation Law and require oil companies to disclose the complete breakdown of prices of petroleum products.
In a press conference on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Marcos said the absence of mandatory price unbundling leaves both regulators and consumers unable to verify whether local fuel adjustments reflect global cost movements.
“We only recently had a roll back (on the price of gas and diesel) and next week they will raise it again. Is there any explanation? Was a hearing conducted? Did the Department of Energy (DOE) do an audit? That’s not acceptable. There needs to be transparency and accountability,” she said in Filipino.
The measure would require oil firms to disclose all components of fuel pricing, including crude oil costs, shipping, refining, taxes, and profit margins.
It also mandates a seven-day advance notice before any price increase, along with a clear explanation of the basis for the adjustment and its expected impact on consumers.
Marcos said the information must be made available at gasoline stations, posted on online platforms, and formally submitted to the Department of Energy.
In a separate appeal, Sen. Loren Legarda urged the immediate suspension of excise tax and value-added tax on diesel and gasoline, warning that delayed action continues to strain households and transport-dependent sectors.
Legarda, citing the April 13, 2026 briefing of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., said discussions on diesel and gasoline tax relief remain ongoing despite earlier moves to suspend taxes on LPG and kerosene.
She said key sectors such as farmers, drivers, and fishers continue to wait for relief from rising fuel costs.
“Malaking tulong ang suspensyon ng buwis sa LPG at kerosene dahil direktang naaapektuhan nito ang mga kabahayan at ang food service sector,” she said.
Legarda said removing fuel taxes would immediately ease transport and production costs, with effects felt across food supply chains and household budgets.
She added that delays in targeted aid programs show inefficiencies in delivery, arguing that direct tax relief would provide faster and broader impact.
Legarda also rejected arguments that fuel tax cuts mainly benefit higher-income groups, stressing that fuel prices affect all sectors of the economy, especially vulnerable communities.
She emphasized that policy decisions must reflect real-world conditions, citing disruptions in transport, agriculture, and small businesses.
Legarda further raised concerns over transparency in government revenues tied to fuel prices and said available fiscal space could be used for immediate relief without additional borrowing.
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