Due to the war in the Middle East, diesel prices in the Philippines are expected to exceed P100 per liter, prompting public utility vehicle drivers to consider other jobs. Jeepney and tricycle drivers like Renie Rabago and Omeng Elardo struggle with rising fuel costs while their earnings remain low. The government offers a one-time P5,000 subsidy to assist them, though some say it is insufficient.
In Manila, 31-year-old jeepney driver Renie Rabago, with 15 years of experience, is preparing to seek construction work due to the ongoing rise in diesel prices. He said, "If the price of diesel reaches P100, it’ll be the end of us. It’ll reach P100, believe me." Currently, he buys just three liters of diesel at P83 per liter, enough for one round trip on his route from Valenzuela City to Quezon City. Previously, P250 bought six liters, but now P300 covers only one trip.
Diesel prices rose by P17.50 to P24.25 per liter in the second week of March, while gasoline increased by P7 to P10.20. Rabago pays a P700 boundary to the operator and takes home only P250 after a long day from noon until midnight, insufficient for his wife and three children.
Similarly, Edwin Pastacio, a modern jeepney driver, opposes his cooperative's plan for alternate workdays due to his family of five's needs. He said, "If that happens to me, I might have to look for other sources of income." His cost for a 50-60 liter tank has risen from P2,500 to P3,000 for 40 liters.
Seventy-seven-year-old tricycle driver Omeng Elardo, driving since 1965, suggests a P2 fare hike from the current P10 to P42 per trip. Previously, P200 for four liters lasted a full day, but now it exceeds P300. He said, "If we can’t do it anymore, then we should stop."
Starting the third week of March, tricycle drivers will first receive a P5,000 fuel subsidy from the Department of Transportation, followed by jeepney, bus, taxi, and TNVS drivers. Rabago noted it would help with rent, electricity, and water, but Pastacio said it lasts only two days at P2,250 daily diesel cost. They also request aid for food like rice, which has also become more expensive.