First published on Blogwatch.ph
Let’s call it a pre-April fool’s prank.
In a vain attempt to appease the nationwide protestagainst rising oil prices last March 31, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino announced on the same day that he has approved an executive order which allegedly grants fuel subsidies to public utility vehicles (PUVs). He said the government would issue “smart cards” to jeepney and tricycle drivers who are franchise holders so that they could avail of the P3 per liter subsidy.
The President made the announcement before the media during the load-out ceremony of an industrial construction company in Batangas.
So where’s the executive order by the way?
Hours after the President’s pronouncement, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang clarified that there was no final executive order yet on fuel subsidies.
“The executive order has not been signed yet. The details are still being worked out,” Carandang said in his statement to media outfits.
