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Metro Manila, Philippines – A shipment from Malaysia of 52 million liters of diesel arrived in the country to boost fuel stock, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Saturday, April 11.  Energy Secretary Garin said the purchase of 329,000 barrels of diesel through the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation will “stock up on supply while the Middle East war is not over.” “Such a complex world isn’t it? Someone from the Americas starts a war in the Middle East and causes suffering in Asia,” she wrote in a Facebook post. This marks the second diesel shipment, following the delivery of 142,000 barrels or 22.5 million liters from Japan in March. The DOE said the latest shipment covers the government’s target to secure 318 million liters of diesel, with the rest expected to be delivered in batches within April. The Oil Industry Management Bureau earlier announced that 900,000 barrels of…

Washington, U.S. – U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the U.S. will have the Strait of Hormuz “open fairly soon” but did not elaborate and acknowledged that it will not be an easy step. Trump also suggested that other countries were offering help but did not identify any nation. “Other countries use the strait. So we do have other countries coming up, and they’ll help out,” Trump said. “It won’t be easy … I would say this – we will have that open fairly soon,” Trump added. The blockade of the strait by Tehran since the start of the Iran war has caused the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history. The strait is a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Trump has been ​upset at NATO allies’ failure to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported on Thursday that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, after meeting Trump, told European governments that the…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Transportation Department will roll out a two-week program beginning Wednesday, April 15, aimed at helping public utility drivers who lost income because of expensive fuel.  Drivers of government-contracted vehicles may earn up to ₱10,000 more per day in addition to the regular fare income under the service contracting program. Here’s how: Rates, discounts Service contracting means the government will incentivize select drivers plying their routes for five days. The DOTr announced the following rates to be applied per kilometer. ₱30 for traditional jeeps ₱40 for modern jeeps and UV express ₱100 for EDSA bus carousel Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the government will pay drivers for up to 100 kilometers of trip per day. This means operators and drivers of busway units could earn ₱10,000 more daily, ₱4,000 for modern jeeps, and ₱3,00 for traditional vehicles. The DOTr said beneficiaries would have to install…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Energy said Friday a fuel price cut is possible next week, a break from the successive rising cost, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. weighs the suspension or reduction of the fuel excise tax in light of recommendations from economic managers. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said initial market data show a downward trend, although final figures will depend on the full five-day trading computation. “Kung iyong trend lang ang based on the four days, may rollback siya. So, I just want to explain, how do you compute, five days kasi iyan Monday to Friday… kung may mangyari ngayon at baka mag-spike ulit baka maiba iyong computation,” Garin said during a Palace briefing on Friday, April 10.  [Translation: Based on the four-day trend, there is a rollback. But computation is based on five days, Monday to Friday, so if something happened and the price surges,…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Power distributor Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has announced higher electricity rates this month, with the impact of the Middle East crisis on generation charges expected to count in the May billing statement. Customers will pay ₱0.5335 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) this month, Meralco spokesperson and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said in an online media briefing on Friday, April 10. This translates to ₱107 more in the monthly bill of a household consuming 200 kWh. “Hindi pa natin maramdaman yung effects sa fuel prices dito sa April generation charge. Kasi yung April generation charge reflects costs from March, and nung March, nandito na po sa bansa yung fuel na na-import natin,” Zaldarriaga explained.  [Translation: We have not yet felt the effects of fuel prices in the April generation charge because it reflects costs from March. And in March, the fuel we imported had already arrived in…