Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Jeepney drivers wait at a terminal in Antipolo city, Rizal on June 8, 2022. Drivers have limited their trips due to their low take-home pay brought about by the rising oil prices. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file



Jeepney drivers wait at a terminal in Antipolo, Rizal on June 8, 2022. Drivers have limited their trips due to their low take home pay brought by the rising oil prices. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Limited Jeep Runs amid Oil Price Hike

Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17752816846321775281677816.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Around 8,000 Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers line up inside the covered court at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on March 24, 2026, to avail themselves of the government&#x27;s cash assistance program. The program targets public transport groups affected by massive fuel hikes stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/>Around 8,000 Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers line up inside the covered court at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on March 24, 2026, to avail themselves of the government&#x27;s cash assistance program. The program targets public transport groups affected by massive fuel hikes stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </div>MANILA — Some jeepney drivers and delivery riders still reported for work on Black Saturday, April 4, hoping to earn some money as pump prices threaten to continue rising.Diesel prices in Metro Manila range from P130 to P140 a liter. Based on last week’s global market trends, prices could increase by as much as P20, potentially reaching P160 a liter by next week.Roy Mamaril, 31, waited at the jeepney terminal due to the slow holiday demand as many are staying home or are out of town.His daily earnings as a jeepney driver of P150 to P200 are already strained by current fuel costs and are expected to shrink further with next week’s price hike.“Mahirap yun, wala ka nang kikitain. Para ka nang ano eh, Good Samaritan nun eh… hindi pwede yun may mga utang ka, may mga pinapaaral ka,” he said, referring to a sibling still in school.(We hardly make any money. It&#x27;s like we&#x27;re Good Samaritans... and that can&#x27;t be when you have debts to pay and a student to support)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/3/oil-prices-soar-anew-in-first-days-of-april-2301">Oil prices soar anew in first days of April </a></div>Senior citizen jeepney driver Danilo Gadin also continued working through the holidays. He shared that his last full tank already cost him P6,000, which only lasted for four round trips around Quezon City.“Wala pa yung boundary kaya minsan umaabot ako ng alas-dose (sa byahe). Minsan kinikita mo barya,” Gadin said, citing how his work shifts now stretch up to 17 hours a day.(That doesn&#x27;t include boundary so sometimes I work until midnight to earn some change)Jeepney drivers pay fixed amounts, or boundary, to operators and take home what is left after fuel costs.Gadin was not able to receive any fuel subsidy from the government, saying the line for payout by the Department of Social Welfare and Development was too long.“Kaya umuwi na lang ako sa pagod (I went home because I was too tired to wait in line),” he added.Working student Jamie Gemzon also took advantage of the holidays to continue his part-time job as a delivery rider.With only a year left in his civil engineering course, he said his income has been significantly affected by rising fuel prices.“Ngayon po kasi bukod sa mahal na yung gas, matumal pa so minsan umuuwi na lang pag naka-dalawang daan na.”(Aside from gas being expensive, demand is low so sometimes I just take home P200)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/31/dbcc-to-submit-oil-excise-tax-cut-proposal-this-week-marcos-1819">Marcos: DBCC to submit oil excise tax cut proposal this week </a></div>According to 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, a family of five needed to earn at least P13,873 a month to meet their basic needs. A new survey was conducted in 2025 to update those figures.Gemzon was among the delivery riders not included in the lists that ride-hailing and delivery app companies submitted to the DSWD for fuel subsidies.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17752815359891775281533433.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Motorcycle riders queue for gasoline at a filling station along EDSA in Makati City on April 1, 2026. ABS-CBN News "/>Motorcycle riders queue for gasoline at a filling station along EDSA in Makati City on April 1, 2026. ABS-CBN News </div>Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier said there will be special payout schedules after the Holy Week.Beyond ayuda, or aid, Gemzon is calling for more long-term solutions from the government like removing the fuel excise tax and the value-added tax to give Filipinos more money to spend.“And alam naman po natin, malawakan din po ang corruption din saan man. Tulad nga po yung flood control, hindi na po natin napansin.”(And we all know that corruption is widespread. Like in the flood-control projects. It&#x27;s like we forgot about that)

Senior citizen jeepney driver Danilo Gadin also continued working through the holidays. He shared that his last full tank already cost him P6,000, which only lasted for four round trips around Quezon City.

Senior citizen jeepney driver Danilo Gadin also continued working through the holidays. He shared that his last full tank already cost him P6,000, which only lasted for four round trips around Quezon City.

Drivers, delivery riders call for long-term solutions as fuel prices shrink income

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Drivers, delivery riders call for long-term solutions as fuel prices shrink income

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 04, 2026 01:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Oil prices

Oil price hike

Jeepney drivers

Delivery riders

Fuel prices

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