Camille Naredo

Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. Long queues of cars and motorcycles formed as drivers tried to fill up before the anticipated hike in gasoline and diesel prices.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

OIL PRICE HIKE

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177321507266020260306-oil-price-hike-refueling-MT13.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) --  Public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers will receive P5,000-worth of fuel subsidy starting next week, administration officials said on Wednesday as the Philippines grapples with high oil prices due to continuous tensions in the Middle East.</p><p>The cash aid will first be given to tricycle drivers through their respective local government units, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said, noting that half of the P60-billion fund for the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis in Situations (AICS) has been earmarked for this program.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/9/filipinos-race-to-fill-tanks-ahead-of-petrol-price-jump-1426">READ: Motorists race to fill tanks ahead of fuel price jump</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/11/marcos-jr-says-more-fuel-coming-to-ph-0637">READ: Marcos Jr. says more fuel coming to PH</a></div><p>&quot;Sa punto na &#x27;to, hindi na lang kasi sila public utility drivers kung hindi maituturing na natin silang mga individual in crisis situation dahil apektado na ang kanilang mga hanapbuhay – at diyan papasok ang AICS or the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program ng DSWD,&quot; he said in a Palace briefing.</p><p>&quot;Ang napagkasunduan namin ng mga alkalde ng Metro Manila at later on sa buong bansa ay by Tuesday next week, sisimulan na natin iyong pagbigay ng tulong-pinansiyal,&quot; he said.</p><p>Gatchalian said he will meet with the social welfare and development officers in Metro Manila on Wednesday afternoon to finalize the list of tricycle drivers who are eligible to receive the cash aid.</p><p>&quot;The DSWD is ready. The President has instructed us to make use of everything in our arsenal to make sure na hindi maapektuhan ang mga kababayan natin,&quot; he assured.</p><p>Jeepney, taxi, bus and transportation network vehicle services (TNVS) drivers will also receive a P5,000 cash aid in the following weeks, most likely in April, said Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez.</p><p>&quot;Definitely lahat po yan mabibigyan but we have to start somewhere,&quot; the Transportation chief said.</p><p>&quot;Ang utos at usapan ngayon ay wag pahirapan ang ating mga kababayan kaya po cash pay out,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kung iyong perang iyon ay gagamitin nila sa subsidy fuel subsidy nasa kanila iyon, kung iyon ay gagamitin nila pambili ng gamot, pangkain okay din po iyon sa gobyerno sa amin sa DOTr at sa Pangulo, kasi iyong pera sa kanila po iyon,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>AYUDA FOR MIDDLE CLASS?</strong></div><p>While Filipinos who are not part of the public transportation sector are not entitled to the same cash aid, Gatchalian said that there are other government interventions available for the middle class, who are also reeling from the spike in fuel prices.</p><p>&quot;If you are facing crisis kahit na ngayon mismo sa opisina namin kung mayroong mga iba&#x27;t ibang krisis na pinagdadaanan any single citizen can come to any DSWD office at tutulungan at tutulungan natin sila,&quot; the DSWD secretary said.</p><p>&quot;Mayroon kami doon iyong papasok ka doon sa cash relief assistance, halimbawa, biglang naapektuhan na iyong trabaho mo, hindi ka na nakakapasok – these are welfare instruments that the DSWD can extend.&quot;</p><p>The DOTr is also coordinating with toll operators to ensure that discounts will be given to trucks transporting food and other agricultural commodities across the country to tame inflation, Lopez said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/9/oil-firms-agree-to-staggered-hikes-p17-to-p24-increases-expected-this-week-doe-1257">READ: Oil firms agree to staggered hikes; P17 to P24 increases expected this week— DOE</a></div><p>Local government units have been instructed to use their local government support fund (LGSF) to provide rice subsidies to their constituents.</p><p>&quot;Kung mayroon ng tatanggapin ang ating public transport sector natural dapat iyong tatanggap ng bigas iba naman kasi hindi naman puwedeng isang grupo at isang sektor na lang ang parting tumatanggap po &#x27;no,&quot; said San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, who is also the president of the League of Cities in the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;Kung mayroon tayong mga middle class constituents na sa tingin ho natin ay dapat tulungan puwedeng sila po ang ipasok natin doon sa listahan po ng bigas.&quot;</p><p>Under the 2026 national budget, P57.87 billion was allocated to the LGSF. Of this amount, P37.49 billion is earmarked for Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (FALGU), P11.3 billion for growth equity fund, P8 billion to support barangays, and P1 billion to fund participatory budgeting.</p><p>Local governments are monitoring the situation in the Gulf region to see if a second tranche of cash aid is needed, Zamora said.</p>

<p>Drivers of public utility vehicles will receive P5,000-worth of fuel subsidy starting next week, Malacañang said on Wednesday as the Philippines grapples with high oil prices due to continuous tensions in the Middle East.</p>

Drivers of public utility vehicles will receive P5,000-worth of fuel subsidy starting next week, Malacañang said on Wednesday as the Philippines grapples with high oil prices due to continuous tensions in the Middle East.

PUV drivers to get P5,000 fuel subsidy starting next week

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PUV drivers to get P5,000 fuel subsidy starting next week

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2026 12:43 PM PHT

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Updated March 11, 2026 03:45 PM PHT

Read More:

fuel subsidy

oil price hike

Iran air strike

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