Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News, file

Eon Sanchez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — As Holy Week approaches this April, many Filipinos are preparing to return to their home provinces, a long-standing tradition for families observing the religious holiday.</p><p>However, this year, the rising cost of transportation and basic goods is weighing heavily on travel plans. While some are pushing through with the sacrifice, others have opted to stay in the city to avoid the financial strain.</p><p>For Felix Abarca, going home is no longer a viable option. Abarca, who originally planned to travel to Daet, Camarines Norte, said he decided to stay in Manila due to expensive fares and grueling travel times.</p><p>“Sobrang [mahal] ng pamasahe. Saka ‘yung hirap ng daan, bako-bako ang daan, eh,” he said. “Inaabot kaming 14 oras sa biyahe.”</p><p>(The fare is too high, and, anyway, it&#x27;s a 14-hour trip on bad roads).</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/22/-ubos-na-agad-fuel-basic-needs-eat-up-subsidy-to-tricycle-drivers-0816">&#x27;Ubos na agad&#x27;: Fuel, basic needs eat up subsidy to tricycle drivers<br/></a></div><p>Abarca said fare to Daet used to be P800 but isn&#x27;t sure about how much it has since increased.</p><p>“Kahit tumaas naman, eh wala tayong magagawa (Even if the price goes up, we can&#x27;t do anything about it),” he added.</p><p>For others, the tradition of returning to their roots is still worth the cost. At Quiapo Church on Sunday morning, March 22, retired overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Malou Sosa attended Mass before heading to Bataan for the holidays.</p><p>Sosa, who worked as a nurse in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 21 years and experienced conflict in the Middle East, noted that global events are inevitably affecting travel expenses in the Philippines.</p><p>“Masakit… gawin na lang natin ‘yung paraan paano tayo makakatulong para makatipid. Wala naman tayong choice. Kumbaga, acceptance is the key only.”</p><p>(It&#x27;s difficult, but let us just do our part to help save money. We don&#x27;t have a choice. Acceptance is key).</p><p>Despite the higher fares, Sosa chose to prioritize family and adjusted her travel habits like getting off at the nearest stop to her destination and preparing provisions.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/21/fuel-price-surge-forces-mc-tnvs-drivers-to-work-longer-hours-1929">Fuel price surge forces MC, TNVS drivers to work longer hours<br/></a></div><p>“Make sure na may baon na po akong pagkain like water, biscuits, and candies... Hindi na ako ma-fo-force na kumain sa mga fast food,” she said.</p><p>(I make sure to bring water, biscuits and candies so I won&#x27;t be force to order fast food).</p><p>Sosa also urged the government to implement contingency measures amid global uncertainties.</p><p>Recent reports show that rising global oil prices have triggered significant fuel increases in the Philippines, with diesel, gasoline, and kerosene posting sharp week-on-week hikes.</p><p>Another round of increases is expected, with projections showing diesel prices may rise by as much as P14 to P15 per liter, further squeezing the budgets of travelers ahead of the Holy Week rush.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><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/3kawjGhW_Wc?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The rising cost of transportation and basic goods is weighing heavily on travel plans. While some are pushing through with the sacrifice, others have opted to stay in the city to avoid the financial strain.</p>

The rising cost of transportation and basic goods is weighing heavily on travel plans. While some are pushing through with the sacrifice, others have opted to stay in the city to avoid the financial strain.

Fuel hikes force some Filipinos to put Holy Week plans on hold

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Fuel hikes force some Filipinos to put Holy Week plans on hold

Eon Sanchez,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 22, 2026 09:35 AM PHT

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Updated March 22, 2026 11:28 AM PHT

Read More:

Oil price hike

fuel prices

travel

Holy Week

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