Jamaine Punzalan

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

Article (news)

OIL PRICE HIKE

Alvin Elchico

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177364440637920260306-oil-price-hike-refueling-MT8.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>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 </div>MANILA – Diesel prices may rise up to P114 per liter this week, even as oil firms agreed to divide the big-time fuel price hikes set this week into smaller hikes spread over several days, the Department of Energy said on Monday. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said Petron, Shell and Flying V have all agreed to ‘staggered’ increases over 3 days from March 17 to 19; while Seaoil and Total will implement the price hikes over 2 days from March 17 to 18. &quot;All these five companies have committed to the staggering and the office of Dir. Rino [Abad] is still working on the other companies kasi we&#x27;re waiting for their submissions today,&quot; Garin said in a briefing with journalists.According to Garin, oil firms have told DOE that diesel prices will increase by around P20.40-P23.90/liter this week, while the gasoline hike will be from P12.90-P16.60/liter starting Tuesday.  Kerosene price hike ranges from P6.90-P8.90/liter.<div>DIESEL ABOVE P100 </div>Once all the tranches have been implemented this week, diesel prices will be around P94 to P114/liter in Metro Manila. Gasoline will cost around P76 to P96/liter. Garin said she will consult first with DOE&#x27;s legal team if the government can divulge the tranches of each oil firm. She said the government is already exploring options of doing government-to-government transactions with China and Russia, among a number of countries, to purchase crude or finished products.But the DOE said there is no need to be worried at this time as supply remains sufficient until the end of April, though the price of future supply for May is likely to be more expensive.DOE Undersecretary Alessandro Sales clarified that the import on oil from China is only for new countries wanting supply. The Philippines, according to Sales, has been getting fuel from China for decades so it&#x27;s possible that the country can get some supply from China. According to Garin, Filipinos should conserve energy and use it diligently in order to prolong supply. But Garin said there is no need yet to declare a crisis in the country&#x27;s energy sector even as fuel prices continue to soar and future supply are not yet fully assured.“Ang crisis ay yung sa prices ng pump prices, di naman crisis in terms of our fuel or anything like that pero kapag umakyat nang umakyat ang presyo, crisis in the sense that we will have inflation, transport cost will be very expensive…”<div>EXCISE TAX REDUCTION OR SUSPENSION</div>Garin admits that the suspension or reduction of excise tax is not enough to wipe out the series of price spikes due to higher world market prices.Aside from the slow process due to the provisions of law, Garin said there might be lag in the implementation as this will only be applicable to new orders after the president declares the suspension or reduction in the excise tax.The full suspension of excise tax will reduce the price of gasoline by P10, diesel by P6 and kerosene by P3 per liter.Garin said reducing or removing the 12 percent value added tax at this time has complications.<div>PROTESTS SET </div>The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would coordinate with transport groups planning to stage Thursday’s protest. PNP spokesperson PBGen. Randulf Tuaño said. The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would coordinate with transport groups planning to stage a nationwide protest and transport strike on Thursday, March 19, to ensure public safety and maintain order.PNP spokesperson PBGen. Randulf Tuaño added that police units were monitoring gasoline stations nationwide amid concerns over possible fuel hoarding and profiteering following the recent oil price increases.“Sa ngayon, wala pang official na nakakasuhan kaugnay sa hoarding o profiteering,” he said.Tuaño clarified that the role of the police was limited to conducting inventories and monitoring at the local level, with the gathered data forwarded to the energy department, which is responsible for determining possible violations and enforcing regulations.<div>CALLS FOR WAGE HIKE </div>Meanwhile, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) trooped to the House of Representatives on Monday to call for the immediate passage of legislated wage increase bills amid price hikes.Carrying signs that read, “Sahod itaas, presyo ibaba!” and “Ipaglaban ang national minimum wage,” the group called for a P1,200 minimum wage nationwide.“Kulang na kulang na ‘yung sinusweldo ng mga manggagawa lalong lalo pa ‘yung mga nagko-commute araw-araw. ‘Yung kanilang pamasahe sa jeep, sa tricycle man. ‘Yung kanilang iniiwan na allowance sa kanilang pamilya, pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan. Hindi pa natin sinasama kung magkasakit pa ‘yan, lalong-lalong wala silang pagkukuhaanan,” Salvador Carranza of the National Federation of Labor Unions - KMU told reporters. Carranza said the P1,200 “family living wage” takes Filipino families with five members into consideration.<div>— With reports from Karen De Guzman and Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News </div>

Oil firms have agreed to divide the big-time fuel price hikes set this week into smaller hikes spread over several days, the Department of Energy said on Monday.

Oil firms have agreed to divide the big-time fuel price hikes set this week into smaller hikes spread over several days, the Department of Energy said on Monday.

Diesel may hit P114 per liter even as oil firms agree to 'staggered' price hikes – DOE

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Diesel may hit P114 per liter even as oil firms agree to 'staggered' price hikes – DOE

Alvin Elchico,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 16, 2026 01:39 PM PHT

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Updated March 16, 2026 05:31 PM PHT

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staggered price hikes

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Sharon Garin

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