ASEANEWS HEADLINE-WORLD OIL CRISIS | MANILA: Marcos suspends fare hike
Commuters walk past jeepneys at the Tandang Sora Terminal in Quezon City yesterday./ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
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Pres. Marcos Jr. suspends fare hike implementation; calls it ‘untimely’
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‘Mystery riders’ deployed vs fare hike violators
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MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has suspended the fare increase scheduled today, saying commuters – mostly workers and students – need not be burdened further, with the crisis in the Middle East still raging.
But he assured transport operators and drivers of additional support from the government.
“In my view, since we still have a problem because of the war in the Middle East, I realized maybe this is not the time to raise fares, for our countrymen,” Marcos said in a video message in Filipino.
“Let’s postpone it for now because we are in the middle of a situation where we need to continue to support our commuters, all our workers, students, everyone who uses our transportation system,” he said.
“So I ordered the DOTr (Department of Transportation) to suspend the fare hike. Let’s defer it for now,” Marcos said.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which approved the provisional increase on Tuesday and mandated it to take effect today, said it would send out 50 “mystery riders” to make sure the President’s suspension order is strictly followed by drivers and operators.
“They’re just there to get the facts,” LTFRB chairman Vigor Mendoza II said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum a few hours before the President suspended the fare increase.
“Right now we’re getting reports that there are errors in charging and we’ll issue show-cause orders why they charge a big amount,” he added. Violators face cancellation or suspension of franchise if proven guilty.
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The Chief Executive likewise directed the DOTr to implement a “Libreng Sakay” scheme nationwide.
“I have directed the DOTr to start free rides throughout the Philippines to reduce the riding public’s daily expenses,” he said.
He said the Metro Rail Transit and the Light Rail Transit would also offer fare discounts, while discounts for toll roads are also underway.
“Even if there is a major disruption, we hope to make it a little bit less of a burden for the public,” he said.
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Subsidizing transport
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For Senate President Vicente Sotto III, subsidizing the transport sector “would be best to offset their setback.”
Sen. Imee Marcos said the suspension of the fare increase was a reflection of the administration’s contradicting policies.
LTFRB’s Mendoza earlier said the fare adjustment was based on rising fuel prices, now ranging from P75 to over P90 per liter, as well as on higher costs of spare parts and increases in minimum wages from 2022 to 2025.
The fare hike was supposed to cover jeepneys, city and provincial buses, airport taxis, transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and point-to-point (P2P) buses.
Transport group PISTON lamented the President’s decision and said it is pushing through with its transport strike today.
“Many regions will be joining the protest because many drivers and operators are disappointed with the lack of action from the government with the fundamental issue faced by the people,” PISTON president Mody Floranda told dzBB.
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“The hike might be small but it was taken away from us by the President of our country,” he said.
He also raised concern over the surging prices of fuel which “only benefits big corporations.”
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) also criticized Marcos’ move. “It’s just a peso and it’s even held back. And we haven’t received any other help,” Bayan president Renato Reyes said in Filipino in a message on Viber.
For Reyes, the P5,000 financial assistance for PUV drivers is useless as it will last for only a week. “This is the regime’s response to the biggest crisis that has hit us since the pandemic,” Reyes said.
Nearly 10,000 police officers, meanwhile, will secure Metro Manila as militant transport group PISTON launches a transport strike today.
“We are fully deployed to ensure that our fellow Filipinos remain safe and can still go about their daily activities despite the situation,” said Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. in a statement.
“We respect the right to peaceful assembly, but we will not allow any disruption that will endanger public safety,” he said.
In anticipation of a shortage of public transport today, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Adamson University suspended face-to-face classes and shifted to virtual mode of instruction.
Tricycle drivers wait for passengers at their terminal in Batasan, Quezon City yesterday. Inset shows a woman along the Marilaque Highway in Tanay, Rizal filling a motorcycle tank using fuel from a recycled liquor bottle./Miguel De Guzman / Russell Palma
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“To mitigate the impact of the transport strike and rising oil prices on our stakeholders, the university will implement the enriched virtual mode of instruction and remote work arrangements March 19, 2026 (Thursday),” UST said on Facebook.
Online synchronous classes in all levels would be held at Adamson University today. “To continuously provide assistance to our clients, all offices will remain open for onsite transactions from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Adamson University said on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the number of vehicles on the road – including on EDSA – has decreased since the recent hikes in fuel prices, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Nicolas Torre III said yesterday.
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Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Norzagaray Road in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on Sunday, March 8, 2026, as some stations display “out of stock” signs for diesel./ The STAR / Ryan Baldemor
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“Based on anecdotal observation, we have seen an easing up because of the reduced number of vehicles on the road,” Torre said at the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel.
Torre said they observed this mainly on EDSA since the implementation of the four-day workweek.
But traffic buildup was noted around major gasoline stations as motorists queued the night before scheduled big-time oil price hikes.
“There’s really congestion. That’s why we provide traffic assistance as motorists line up, hoping to buy fuel at the lower price before it goes up the next day,” Torre said.
The MMDA, he also said, is closely coordinating with security forces for the logistics needed to alleviate the impact of the transport strike through its Libreng Sakay program.
“We are readying our buses and other transport vehicles to offer free rides,” Torre said.
“MMDA is focusing on community resilience. If there is a crisis in our energy and disruption of peace and order, we have crafted plans for our response,” he said. – Josiah Antonio, Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Artemio Dumlao, Bella Cariaso, Andrew Ronquillo
