President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) directing local government units (LGUs) to stop the collection of pass-through fees for motor vehicles transporting goods and merchandise on local and national roads.

Under EO No. 41 dated Sept. 25 but released on Sept. 29, Marcos said it is the consumers who bear the burden of paying high prices of goods and commodities caused by the significant effect of the “unauthorized imposition of pass-through fees” to transportation and logistics.

“In order to uphold the welfare and advance the best interest of the Filipino people, it is the overarching policy of the Administration to consolidate all essential components within the value and supply chain, and reduce the costs of food logistics, which play a pivotal role in effectively tempering the inflation rate in the country,” he said.

The President directed the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to secure copies of the existing ordinance of all LGUs on the pass-through fee collection within 30 days after the EO No. 41 takes effect.

The DTI and DILG shall also report to Marcos’ office on LGUs’ compliance with the lifting of pass-through fee collections.

Any local officials or employees who will be caught violating the ordinance will face administrative or disciplinary sanctions.

The Chief Executive further directed the DILG to “take appropriate actions to ensure” that LGUs will act within the prescribed authorities pursuant to Section No. 133(e) of RA 7160.

The EO No. 41 was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin for Marcos.