MANILA - Thousands of transport workers and commuters took to the streets across the Philippines this week, protesting skyrocketing fuel prices that have more than doubled since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran .
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a "State of National Energy Emergency" in late March after the country's fuel reserves dwindled to just 45 days . The crisis, triggered by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz-through which 98% of Philippine oil imports pass-has sent diesel prices soaring to nearly 135 pesos ($2.22) per liter, up from just 57 pesos in January .
For jeepney drivers like 72-year-old Jaime Ricafrente, the situation has become desperate. After his name was left off government subsidy lists, he broke down in tears . "I felt hopeless, with no one to turn to," he told reporters. Another driver, 62-year-old Guillermo Japole, said his family is on the edge of eviction: "No cash aid, no earnings, no food for the family" .
The protests, led by transport coalitions PISTON and Manibela, have drawn thousands of drivers of jeepneys, buses, and motorcycle taxis . Their demands include:
Scrapping the excise tax and VAT on petroleum products
Repealing the Oil Deregulation Law
Increasing jeepney fares and the national minimum wage to 1,200 pesos ($19.88) per day
Demonstrators have also criticized the government's simultaneous hosting of joint US military exercises, holding placards reading "Stop Balikatan" and "Pull out U.S. troops" . "Blindly obeying the United States is pushing us into the risk of war," said Gabriel Magtibay, national chairperson of the League of Filipino Students .
The crisis extends beyond Manila. The province of Sorsogon has declared a state of calamity, unlocking emergency funds for 13,000 drivers . Civil society groups warn of a potential "systemic collapse" in food and energy sectors, with rice prices hitting 60-70 pesos per kilo due to rising production and transport costs .
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin has announced plans to increase coal-fired power generation as a stopgap measure . Meanwhile, a shipment of 700,000 barrels of Russian crude arrived in late March, but officials warn this only addresses immediate supply, not the underlying price crisis .
For ordinary Filipinos like Marjorie Montalban-Borreo, a 36-year-old mother in Pasig City, the emergency has forced painful lifestyle changes: reducing外出, staggering appliance use, and delaying family plans . "The crisis is not just economic-it's emotional," she said.
As the government rolls out 5,000-peso subsidies ($83) and free bus rides, protesters remain unconvinced. "We don't need cash aid if the government will cut the prices of fuel, food, electricity, water," said Ronnie Rillosa, 58, a jeepney driver of three decades
