MANILA – Liberal senators ask government to look into the rising prices of goods and ensure that the necessary interventions are in place to protect the public.
“We have to determine if the government has contingency measures that it can implement immediately to manage the increase in the prices of basic commodities like rice, LPG, and transport cost or pamasahe,” said Partido Liberal president Sen. Francis Pangilinan.
Pangilinan made the pronouncement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s inflation rate accelerated to a 5-month high and hit 3.4 percent in September. The number was higher compared to the 2.3 percent in the same month last year and the 3.1 percent in August of this year.
Sen. Pangilinan added that he and other Liberal senators may file a resolution to ensure that the government is ready to address such problems so it won’t unduly burden Filipino households.
“Nakakabahala para sa pamilyang Pilipino ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, kaya mahalagang bantayan ng Senate Minority ang tinutulak na pagtaas ng buwis ng administrasyon,” Sen. Bam Aquino said.
“Kailangan itong suriin nang mabuti upang hindi na dumagdag sa mga pasanin ng ating mga kababayan,” added Sen. Aquino.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Franklin Drilon, for his part, said higher inflation will affect the spending power of Filipino families, especially the underprivileged.
“We have to take the necessary steps to ensure that government is doing all it can to minimize the burden to Filipinos brought about by rising inflation,” said Sen. Drilon.