When floods have submerged vehicles and motorists are stranded on broken roads, that is precisely the moment the Department of Finance chooses to float the idea of raising registration fees. The timing alone feels like a cruel twist of policy — instead of relief, the public is handed another burden. 

The proposal to increase the Motor Vehicle User Charge (MVUC) is being studied by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to Malacañang. The Palace insists the measure is under careful review, balancing the government’s need for revenue with the impact on ordinary citizens.

Admittedly, the state has a rationale: funds are needed for road maintenance and environmental projects. Without adequate collection, where would resources come from? Yet the question lingers — why now, and why at the expense of motorists already battered by floods, gridlock, and poor infrastructure? 

Recently, commuters and drivers alike have endured paralyzing floods along major highways, including NLEX. Cars stalled, livelihoods disrupted, and countless hours lost. Taxpayers already shoulder toll fees and excise taxes, yet the quality of service remains dismal. To propose higher registration fees feels less like governance and more like punishment. 

It is reassuring that Malacañang clarified no final decision has been made. That signals government is listening. But the challenge is clear: fix the service first before demanding more sacrifice. Demonstrate that flood control systems work, that roads are safe and reliable, and that current MVUC collections are not wasted. 

Because if roads remain submerged while fees continue to rise, the public cannot be faulted for feeling squeezed by their own government. A fair government provides solutions, not added pain in the middle of hardship. The President’s decision will matter greatly — because what is at stake here is nothing less than the nation’s livelihood or “our palabigasan.”