A total of 425 out of 14,485 gas stations nationwide were temporarily closed as of March 27 due to the fuel crisis triggered by the Iran war, according to the Philippine National Police. The Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the highest number at 79, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency.
As of March 27, 425 out of 14,485 gas stations nationwide were temporarily closed due to fuel shortages, representing 2.93%, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) had the highest at 79 closures: Kalinga with 26, Benguet 18, Mountain Province 15, Ifugao 12, Abra 6, and Baguio City 2. Central Luzon followed with 46, and Eastern Visayas with 44. By percentage, CAR was most affected at 14.4%.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 110 on March 24, declaring a national energy emergency due to the US-Israel war on Iran. He also signed Republic Act No. 12316, granting emergency powers to suspend and reduce fuel excise taxes.
In Baguio, stations imposed 20-liter purchase limits per transaction, leading to long jeepney queues. Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city would prioritize essential sectors like hospitals and public utility vehicles. He warned the emergency could last weeks.
Jeepney driver Jun Gomez from La Trinidad, Benguet, said, “Kung 20 liters lang, pipili ka kung ilang pasada. Hindi mo na mababawi lahat (If we’re only allowed 20 liters, you will choose your rides. You cannot earn enough to compensate for the trips).”
Meanwhile, wholesale vegetable prices in Benguet fell: snap beans dropped from P80-85 per kilo on March 20 to P20-25 on March 27. A farmer from Atok said, “Bumababa presyo, pero gasolina pataas. Kailangan pa rin naming magbenta kahit maliit kita (The prices went down, but the fuel prices are high. We still need to sell our goods even with lower profit).”
PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed monitoring of LPG retailers to prevent hoarding and price manipulation.
