By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – The ongoing oil crisis is putting a strain on tricycle drivers in this town, with their daily earnings dropping from an average of P700 to a mere P400.
Roel Gaano, a tricycle driver plying the Zone 1 route, which covers the six barangays in the town center, shared that before the fuel crisis, he earned a net income of P700 a day, with P300 allocated for gasoline. However, now, his take-home pay has plummeted to P400 per day, since he shelled out P500 budget for fuel.
“Before the fuel crisis, I would have earned P700, but now I only earn P400. Even with the slight fare increase, it’s still a struggle,” Gaano said, noting that his earnings have become increasingly inadequate as fuel prices continue to rise.
The small increase in fare came after Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo approved a provisional P3 base fare increase, raising the fare within the Poblacion area from P12 to P15, with additional fare adjustments for longer distances.
With the surge in fuel costs, tricycle drivers in the town center have adjusted their operations. They now spend more time parked in designated waiting areas rather than roaming the streets looking for passengers. This change helps to conserve fuel and deal with the sharp drop in daily earnings, which have now fallen to around P300 before the P3 base fare increase.
Renato Cubil, another tricycle driver, explained the decision to park in these designated areas was a collective effort by the local tricycle drivers’ group to mitigate the financial impact of the fuel price hikes.
“We’re now buying local old-stock rice at just over P40 per kilo because imported rice has surged to P65 per kilo. We’re adjusting wherever we can just to survive this crisis,” Cubil said, adding that the financial pressure on drivers continues to worsen.
Adding to the challenges faced by drivers, Vice Mayor Ramil “Jing” Pulvera is set to address concerns raised by netizens regarding the opening of the new integrated bus terminal in Barangay Hubang. The terminal’s opening, scheduled for April, will likely increase the burden on commuters who will now pay higher fares to travel the three-kilometer distance to the town center.
“I will bring this concern to Mayor Bravo to see how we can ease the burden on commuters,” Pulvera said. He also mentioned that discussions would likely lead to a delayed opening, allowing for adjustments to the situation when things return to normal.
Tricycle drivers are also anxiously awaiting the government’s P5,000 fuel subsidy, which has already started rolling out in Metro Manila. However, rural areas like Agusan del Sur have yet to receive any information about the program. “We still don’t have any word on whether the subsidy will reach us, but we are holding on to the hope that it will, even if it comes after the crisis,” Cubil added, expressing the uncertainty that many in the transport sector are facing.
However, some 166 registered tricycle drivers in Loreto town were given 7 liters a week up to one month fuel subsidy from the local government unit.
Fuel prices in Agusan del Sur vary significantly, with diesel averaging at P105 per liter and gasoline at P98 per liter. Multinational brands like Shell are selling gasoline at P100 per liter and Fuel Save Diesel at P128 per liter. Meanwhile, local gas station HKAK offers relatively lower prices, with premium gasoline at P89.50 per liter and diesel at P105.50 per liter.
Bebs Largo, a cashier at HKAK, confirmed that their fuel supply will last until Wednesday. They are awaiting instructions from the owner on whether to adjust their prices when the new shipment arrives from Cagayan de Oro City later in the evening.
Meanwhile, Supreme Fuels, a local station operated by businessman Wilmar Sabaña, has been closed since Monday due to dwindling fuel supplies. Sabaña confirmed that they will resume operations on Wednesday and will likely match the rates of other local distributors when their new shipment arrives.
Before closing, Supreme Fuels had diesel priced at P105 per liter, premium gasoline at P86.80, and unleaded gasoline at P85.80.
###
