Malacañang is evaluating targeted assistance for transport workers and other sectors hit by rising fuel costs while reviewing a request to restore the suspended ₱1 minimum jeepney fare increase.
The review puts financial relief and fare policy back on the table as the government tries to protect drivers’ earnings without immediately shifting higher operating costs to commuters.
“Ang nais ng Pangulo ay walang maiwan, kailangang matulungan ang lahat sa tamang pamamaraan at sa balanseng pamamaraan. So, inaaral ito ngayon,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a briefing Wednesday.
Castro said the government is looking at possible assistance for the transport sector while ensuring that consumers are also protected from the impact of higher fuel prices. The Palace has yet to announce the amount, coverage, funding source or timetable of any new relief package.
The review comes after the Department of Energy prescribed another round of sharp fuel adjustments for the week beginning July 14. Diesel prices were allowed to increase by ₱2.62 to ₱4.62 per liter, while kerosene prices could rise by ₱2.22 to ₱4.22. Gasoline adjustments ranged from a ₱1 rollback to a ₱1 increase, depending on the retailer.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said renewed threats to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz placed upward pressure on international crude prices. The waterway remains a critical route for global energy shipments, making disruptions there a direct risk to fuel-importing countries such as the Philippines.
Transport group Pasang Masda asked the government to restore the additional ₱1 minimum fare increase suspended in March. The group has repeatedly argued that successive diesel hikes are cutting into the daily income of jeepney drivers and operators. Castro said the fare request remains under review.
The administration previously suspended the planned fare increase to limit the impact on commuters and continued a ₱10-per-liter fuel subsidy program for public utility vehicle drivers. More than 373,000 drivers had received fuel assistance as of April 21, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
