It will be oil discount and not subsidy that will be given to the transport sector.

This was stressed today by Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye as he clarified reports that the government would revive the abolished Oil Price Stabilization Fund (OPSF).

In radio interviews, Bunye said that while there is no such plan for a subsidy fund for petroleum products, gasoline outlets are to be encouraged to grant discounts to the transport sector.

"Ang nabanggit po ng ating Pangulo ay meron pong mga ilang selected retail outlets na magbibigay ng mga diskwento sa ating transport sector (What the President mentioned was there are selected retail outlets (in Metro Manila) that will give discount to our transport sector)," Bunye said.

Reviving the subsidy fund, which was abolished with the enactment of the oil deregulation law, will only be a burden to the people, he said.

"Pagnagbigay tayo ng subsidy, eventually ang magbabayad ay ang taong bayan, ang magpapasan tayo rin po. (If we give subsidy, we, the people, will eventually have to shoulder it.)" Bunye said.

Bunye explained that instead of a subsidy, the government is encouraging petroleum outlets to grant discounts to the public transport sector.

He added that providing discount will benefit the public transport sector and prevent the increase in fare and other commodity goods.

"Dahil kapag nagkaroon ng pagtataas ng paniningil sa transport sector, ito ay makaapekto sa presyo ng bilihin (If there will be increase in transport fare, it will affect prices of other products)," Bunye said.

About 26 gasoline stations in Metro Manila will offer discounts starting tomorrow, Bunye said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is set to visit one of the selected low-cost refilling stations to find out how the government can further help them serve the public with their discounted rates.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said today that the Macapagal Arroyo administration’s priority is pushing for economic development as well as peace and order, while leaving the issue of Charter Change (Cha-Cha) to the Senate and House of Representatives.

Bunye made the statement in response to a published report, attributed to an official of the ruling Lakas party, that the 2004 elections could be troublesome, if the Constitution of l987 would have not been amended by then.

Bunye said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s primary intention is to unite the Filipino people and that all political exercises should be peaceful, orderly and credible.

He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is giving priority to electoral reforms, particularly the fast transmission of results under the computerization program being carried out by the Commission on Elections for the 2004 polls. Delay in transmitting the results is usually the main cause of tension during elections, he added.

"As for the proposed Charter change," Bunye said, "the stand of the President is clear. While she has her own proposals, and the latest she has mentioned is about federalism as one of the keys to solving the peace problem in Mindanao, her concern seems to be timing."

"I think, she is not referring to immediate Charter Change as of now," Bunye said.

Bunye said that President Macapagal Arroyo is leaving to the two chambers of Congress the question of amending the Constitution, taking into consideration their schedule and priorities.