Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Izzy Lee

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/177640906617520260407-marcos-oil-crisis-uplift-program-PCO1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">At a bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City, jeepney driver Dione Palmores patiently waits for passengers arriving from the provinces.<em> Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span>MANILA — At a bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City, jeepney driver Dione Palmores patiently waits for passengers arriving from the provinces.</div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/25/manila-jeepney-drivers-struggle-as-fuel-prices-slash-earnings-0109">Manila jeepney drivers struggle as fuel prices slash earnings</a></div><p>But instead of driving a jeepney, he now hauls passengers’ heavy bags earning a small fee to survive each day.</p><p>&quot;Tagabuhat buhat na lang ako sa mga galing probinsya, parang porter. Pangkain lang maghapon,&quot; Palmores said.</p><p>He once relied on his jeepney to support himself and his family in Bicol. But when diesel prices surged, Palmores made a difficult decision: he parked his jeepney for good—at least for now.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/15/pov-commuting-in-metro-manila-during-a-transport-strike-as-a-pwd-1330">POV: Commuting in Metro Manila during a transport strike as a PWD</a></div><p>&quot;Tumigil na ako nung [naging] P116 &#x27;yung diesel, minsan wala na akong kinikita talaga. Kasi magkano &#x27;yung isang ikot ko, P800 &#x27;yung isang diesel eh, &#x27;yung koleksyon ko P600 lang, aabot ng dalawang daan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon, dito na ko sa kalsada. Ginarahe ko na &#x27;yung jeep kasi wala eh, mapagod lang ako,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><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/177640967549220260407-marcos-oil-crisis-uplift-program-PCO1 (8).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Instead of driving a jeepney,  Dione Palmores now hauls passengers’ heavy bags earning a small fee to survive each day. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>With no jeepney to sleep in anymore after returning it to the operator, he now sleeps on the streets near the terminal while trying to save money to send to his family.</p><p>&quot;Basta may pera papadala ako sa anak ko e, sa ngayon di pa napadala eh. Basta meron akong pera siguradong magpapadala ako,&quot; he said.</p><p>For Palmores, the road back to driving is simple but uncertain: fuel prices must fall to at least P70 per liter. Until then, he remains in limbo.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/15/hundreds-of-puj-drivers-in-manila-still-left-off-fuel-subsidy-list-1605">Hundreds of jeepney drivers in Manila still left off fuel subsidy list</a></div><p>&quot;Basta bumaba &#x27;yung diesel tsaka ako mamamasada. Mga P70 pwede na, kikita ako mga P500 siguro,&quot; he said.</p><p>Diesel prices soared as the tensions between US and Iran affected the flow of fuel supply globally.</p><p>Many other transport groups in the country are calling for drastic government measure to help drivers including the suspension of excise taxes and VAT on fuel products and the repeal of the oil deregulation law.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/14/-takbo-rito-takbo-roon-commuters-struggle-amid-high-fuel-prices-1102">&#x27;Takbo rito, takbo roon&#x27;: Commuters struggle amid high fuel prices</a></div><p>The government meanwhile said suspending excise taxes on diesel and gasoline would not have significant impact. </p><p>Cash aid and fuel subsidy have been rolled out for the affected sector, among others.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><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/mJ-b8YG5pF4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></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/cuOb1AUT50I?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Instead of driving a jeepney, Dione Palmores now hauls passengers’ heavy bags earning a small fee to survive each day.</p>

Instead of driving a jeepney, Dione Palmores now hauls passengers’ heavy bags earning a small fee to survive each day.

Jeepney driver forced to sleep on streets as high fuel cost derails livelihood

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Jeepney driver forced to sleep on streets as high fuel cost derails livelihood

Izzy Lee,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 17, 2026 03:10 PM PHT

Read More:

jeep

jeepney

oil price hike

middle east

inflation

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