Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Commuters wait for available rides at Philcoa, Quezon City, this Friday, March 27, during the second day of a transport strike led by various transport groups protesting rising fuel prices and urging the government to ease taxes on petroleum products. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17757275194921774576673428viber_image_2026-03-27_07-50-50.jpg.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Commuters wait for available rides at Philcoa, Quezon City, this Friday, March 27, during the second day of a transport strike led by various transport groups protesting rising fuel prices and urging the government to ease taxes on petroleum products. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </div>MANILA — The national government will start contracting public utility vehicles (PUV) on April 15, and provide limited fuel subsidies for the public transport sector in the next three months, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday as the Philippines continues to weather oil price shocks.Under the Department of Transportation’s service contracting program, the government will pay drivers between P40 and P100 per kilometer, Marcos Jr. said, noting that the scheme is expected to benefit 50,000 PUV drivers, 1,000 operators and 15 million passengers.“Ang mga ruta ay ang mga may koneksyon sa tren at pangunahing bus route,” the president said, underscoring that hired PUVs will be equipped with GPS monitors to track their services.Most PUV drivers work under a boundary system where they pay fixed amounts to operators and take home what is left from earnings less fuel costs.“Ipapatupad ito sa buong bansa… Ang service contracting program ay ipapatupad sa off peak hours para masiguro na may masasakyan pa din ang ating mga kababayan kahit na hindi rush hour,” he said.Commuters, on the other hand, will receive a 20-percent fare discount, he said.The program will initially be implemented next week in the following areas:• Commonwealth Avenue (Quezon City)• Quezon Avenue (Quezon City)• España Boulevard (Manila)• Zapote Road (Las Piñas, Muntinlupa)• A. Bonifacio Avenue (Quezon City)• Marcos Highway (Marikina, Quezon City)• Rizal <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/9/as-us-iran-agree-to-ceasefire-what-has-ph-done-since-the-middle-east-war-began-0912">As US, Iran agree to ceasefire, what has PH done since the Middle East war began? </a></div>“Mahalaga ito dahil hindi lang transport cost ang tinutugunan natin. Pinipigilan din natin ang pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain at iba pang pangunahing bilihin,” Marcos said.“Ang bawat desisyon na ginagawa natin ay may iisang layunin lamang: maprotektahan ang Pilipino,” he said.The government will also provide a P10 per liter subsidy for PUVs in the next three months, the president said.The subsidy will cover up to 150 liters of gasoline for each PUV driver every week.Malacañang, however, remains silent on whether or not it would suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/7/fuel-prices-double-since-end-of-february-1700">Fuel prices more than double since end of February</a></div>

The government will start contracting public utility vehicles on April 15, and provide limited fuel subsidies for the public transport sector in the next three months.

The government will start contracting public utility vehicles on April 15, and provide limited fuel subsidies for the public transport sector in the next three months.

Gov’t to contract PUVs, provide P10/L subsidy for public vehicles until mid-2026

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Gov’t to contract PUVs, provide P10/L subsidy for public vehicles until mid-2026

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 09, 2026 05:45 PM PHT

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Updated April 09, 2026 05:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

transportation

service contracting

oil crisis

oil excise tax

public utility vehicle

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