Metro Manila, Philippines – An expanded fuel discount and fare hike are on the table to provide relief for the transport sector in light of high oil prices, a Cabinet official said on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
At the sidelines of the president’s visit to the Quezon Avenue station of the Metro Manila Subway Project, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the agency is planning to update the relief to make it “more effective” under the current situation.
“Kasi ang nangyayari ngayon, kahit na ongoing yung fuel discount natin, parang hindi po lahat nabibigyan ng diskwento,” Lopez told reporters.
[Translation: Because what’s happening now, even though the fuel discount initiative is ongoing, it appears not everyone is getting a discount.]
Lopez said the government is assessing the expansion of the fuel discount to include other modes of transport, and raising the discount itself.
The fuel discount of ₱12 per liter is limited to public utility jeepneys and UV Express. It was previously at ₱10.
Meanwhile, Lopez said a discussion on the jeepney fare hike petition has been scheduled for next week.
“Ang pag-uusapan namin [what we’re going to talk about] is how to strike a good balance between increasing and providing the request of the transport group and, of course, the situation and the welfare of the commuters,” the transportation chief said.
