Marilyn Cahatol

A day before another round of staggered fuel price hikes will take effect this week, activists pelted black clay and defaced posters at a gas station in Pasig City on Monday, March 16, to call attention to alleged exploitation of the energy crisis.

Article (news)

Jonathan Cellona

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/177364294481420260316_105005.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">A day before another round of staggered fuel price hikes takes effect this week, activists pelted black clay and defaced posters at a gas station in Pasig City on Monday, March 16, to call attention to alleged exploitation of the energy crisis. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — A day before another round of staggered fuel price hikes takes effect this week, activists pelted black clay and defaced posters at a gas station in Pasig City on Monday, March 16, to call attention to alleged exploitation of the energy crisis.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/16/oil-prices-open-higher-as-war-in-middle-east-rages-0933">Oil prices open higher as war in Middle East rages</a></div><p>Organized by the disaster survivors&#x27; alliance People Surge in coordination with transport group PISTON, the demonstration targeted the corporate headquarters of Petron, one of the country’s oil firms, to assail what they called a broader system of corporate greed.</p><p>They accused the companies of exploiting the global energy crisis to extract profits at the expense of drivers, commuters, and other marginalized sectors.</p><p>The protest follows a series of oil price hikes in recent weeks amid the Iran-US crisis, which have seen pump prices jacked up to P80 per liter, with further increases expected in the coming weeks, possible to P100 per liter.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/16/-staggered-fuel-price-hikes-set-instead-of-one-time-big-time-hike-doe-1339">&#x27;Staggered&#x27; fuel price hikes set instead of one-time big-time hike – DOE</a></div><p>Beyond the immediate cost at the pump, speakers at the rally highlighted the systemic nature of the crisis.</p><p>In a press release, Daniel Fabellon of Agham Youth noted: &quot;We are seeing the convergence of climate injustice and economic injustice. The poor did the least to cause the Middle East conflict being used as an excuse for these hikes, yet they bear the heaviest burden.&quot;</p><p>The organizers also demanded concrete accountability from the Marcos Jr. administration, which they accused of serving the interests of oil companies rather than the public. </p><p>They slammed Malacañang for &quot;hiding&quot; behind the volatility of world market prices while refusing to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PRICE FREEZE</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177364300099220260316_104942.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A day before another round of staggered fuel price hikes will take effect this week, activists pelted black clay and defaced posters at a gas station in Pasig City on Monday, March 16, to call attention to alleged exploitation of the energy crisis. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>Protesters urged the government to roll back excise and value-added taxes on fuel, or at the very least, impose a price freeze and stricter regulations on oil firms.</p><p>They argued that every day of &quot;inaction&quot; from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is a deliberate political decision to side with the oil giants over drivers, workers, farmers, fisherfolk, teachers, and the poor—all of whom, they said, are already at a breaking point.</p><p>The Department of Energy on Monday said it is coordinating with oil companies to ensure PUV drivers, TNVS drivers, delivery riders and other motorists continue benefiting from fuel discount promos.</p><p>Transport groups are set to mount a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/16/transport-strike-set-on-march-19-0957">nationwide protest and transport strike </a>beginning Thursday, March 19, to call for government action on soaring fuel prices.</p><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO </strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xwOiRKsIbEw?si=9VJ5vHyS7AFJ0Duo" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>They accused the companies of exploiting the global energy crisis to extract profits at the expense of drivers, commuters, and other marginalized sectors.</p>

They accused the companies of exploiting the global energy crisis to extract profits at the expense of drivers, commuters, and other marginalized sectors.

Activists pelt clay, deface gas station posters in protest vs fuel price hikes

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Activists pelt clay, deface gas station posters in protest vs fuel price hikes

Jonathan Cellona,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 16, 2026 03:20 PM PHT

Read More:

oil price hike

oil firm

Petron

gasoline

transport

protest

Pasig City

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