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Jeepneys ply along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on January 3, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Jeepneys continue to ply along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on January 3, 2024. According to the LTFRB, unconsolidated jeepneys may only ply routes where less than 60 percent of PUVs have consolidated or none at all. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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JEEPNEY-PHASEOUT

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/177312126274720240103-jeepeny-route-ban-1MD_0073-MD.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Jeepneys ply along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on January 3, 2024. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — An official from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Tuesday said the country&#x27;s calamity fund can be tapped to cushion the impact of the Middle East war.</p><p>Nearly two weeks into the conflict, the effects of the tensions have begun to affect <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/10/interventions-in-place-amid-peso-depreciation-due-to-mideast-crisis-palace-1114">economies</a>. In the Philippines, <a 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">oil prices soared</a>, triggering <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/10/meralco-power-rates-to-go-up-in-march-1113">looming spikes in electricity bills</a> and fares and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/9/supply-chain-group-says-raising-prices-of-goods-a-last-resort-despite-rising-fuel-costs-1807">threatening price increases of commodities</a>.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/10/trump-vows-iran-war-will-end-very-soon-0946">Trump vows Iran war will &#x27;end very soon&#x27;</a></div><p>In response, senators sought to tap the disaster or <a href="https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/GAA/GAA2026/VolumeIB/NDRRMF.pdf">calamity fund</a> to aid Filipinos most vulnerable to the impact of the war in the Middle East.</p><p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, asked DBM Undersecretary Janet Abuel about this during a committee hearing Tuesday.</p><p>Abuel, who heads the agency&#x27;s legal and legislative group, confirmed that the P39.8-billion calamity fund can be tapped for the purpose.</p><p><strong></strong>She said that is allowed under the wording of the 2026 budget, under Special Provision No. 1 of the calamity fund.</p><p><strong></strong>The official said another option is a declaration of a national emergency, which she said would require legislation, just like in the case of the Bayanihan Law at the start of the COVID pandemic.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/10/palace-reminds-public-no-need-to-panic-buy-1121">Palace reminds public: No need to panic-buy</a></div><p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo said he believed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may also be authorized to tap the calamity fund through the emergency powers law that is originally intended to empower the him to adjust taxes on fuel. </p><p>&quot;Pero kung pwede kaya, isama na rin sa cluster na yun, emergency powers ng pangulo na pwedeng gamitin itong calamity funds na ito sa ganito sitwasyon pag sumirit na itong [presyo ng] petrolyo,&quot; Tulfo said.  </p><p>Abuel agreed with Gatchalian who said fuel subsidy may be considered a form of relief.</p><p>&quot;Because nandoon po yung aid, nandoon po yung relief. Currently hindi siya international crisis. Even mga financial aids po, natsa-charge din diyan sa mga disasters natin pag nagkukulang,&quot; Abuel said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FISHERS, FARMERS</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, several fishermen based in Navotas City appealed for government aid after Tuesday’s oil price hikes.  </p><p>Arnaldo Sopera told ABS-CBN News that even before  this week, their fuel expenses had already doubled to P4,000 from the usual P2,000. </p><p>“Kagaya ho kanina, halos kumita lang yung mga tao - P200 lang ho,” Sopera said. </p><p>“Marami din ho mahihirapan talaga - habang tumataas yan maraming mahihirapan, saka maraming hihinto ho, kung mahina huli hihito ho talaga ang bangka,” he added. </p><p>The Department of Agriculture (DA) last week said it had a P100-million budget for another round of fuel subsidy for fisherfolk and farmers. Qualified fishers will receive a P3,000 fuel subsidy each, the agency said. </p><p>In Plaridel, Bulacan, palay farmer Fe Maligaya told ABS-CBN News that they were not yet experiencing the direct impact of the latest oil price hike. </p><p>But she said they were worried about the Middle East conflict’s possible impact on their livelihood should hostilities drag.</p><p>“Pag po maganda yung ani, pinakamarami na po yung dalawang pitak, umaani po ng 18 hanggang 20 kaban. Wala na po sigurong sosobra dun para lang pong nag-aalkansiya kami - kasi habang tumataas yung presyo ng petrolyo, eh tumataas din ang presyo ng pagbabayad namin sa mga nagtatrabaho sa bukid,” said Maligaya. </p><p>Agriculture Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said qualified farmer beneficiaries would receive a one-time P5,000 fuel subsidy. </p><div><strong>—Reports from RG Cruz and Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zvWeaVPhKQU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>An official from the Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday said the country's calamity fund could be tapped to cushion the impact of the Middle East war.</p>

An official from the Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday said the country's calamity fund could be tapped to cushion the impact of the Middle East war.

Budget exec says calamity fund may be tapped to cushion impact of Mideast war

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Budget exec says calamity fund may be tapped to cushion impact of Mideast war

ABS-CBN News

Published March 10, 2026 01:54 PM PHT

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Updated March 10, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

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Calamity Fund

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