THE Senate last week unanimously adopted a joint resolution calling for the implementation of a $500 fuel voucher program in the CNMI.
Authored by Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero, S.J.R. 22-8 is requesting Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Secretary of Finance David DLG Atalig to implement the program.
“With the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia, it is reasonably expected that the fuel prices will increase even higher, further affecting the lives of everyone,” the resolution stated.
“This legislative body recognizes that there are many hardships which the people of the [CNMI] are faced with, and additionally, the citizens have endured an abundance of physical, emotional, and financial constraints as a result of the evolving global pandemic that is associated with the Covid-19 virus. In addition to the various hardships imposed by economic turmoil caused by the global pandemic, the NMI residents face substantial increases in fuel prices,” the resolution added.
It states that Guam is also experiencing the same financial hardships caused by the global pandemic and the substantially high costs of fuel, resulting in the territorial government’s implementing a gas voucher program using American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Through this program on Guam, qualifying recipients will receive $100 fuel voucher over a span of three months, totaling $300, “in an effort to assist in mitigating the overwhelming rise in fuel costs.”
“The residents of the Commonwealth are also in need of government financial assistance to ease the burden of the high fuel costs on all three islands,” the resolution stated.
After two rollbacks over the last several weeks, the prices of gasoline are up by 20 cents and diesel by 30 cents.
On Wednesday, April 20, Mobil Oil Marianas increased its regular gas price to $5.96 a gallon from $5.76 a gallon, and premium gas price to $6.41 a gallon from $6.21 a gallon. The price of diesel went up to $6.78 a gallon from $6.48 a gallon. Shell followed suit.
On Tinian, Mobil raised its regular gas price to $7.69 a gallon from $7.49 a gallon, and diesel to $8.49 a gallon from $8.19 a gallon.
On Rota, Mobil’s regular gas price was still $7.24 a gallon and diesel was still $10.02 a gallon.
