Philippines' Marcos puts brakes on transport fare hike

Marcos said he had ordered the transportation department “to launch free rides all over the Philippines”. Read more at straitstimes.com.

MANILA - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on March 18 put the brakes on a public transportation fare hike announced just a day earlier, promising the country’s commuters free rides instead.

The archipelago nation, which imports nearly all of its crude oil from the Middle East, has been scrambling to deal with eye-watering price increases triggered by the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Since hostilities erupted, the Philippines has instituted a four-day workweek for civil servants, distributed cash handouts to tricycle drivers, and seen its sole refinery open discussions to buy Russian oil.

On March 17, the country’s transportation regulator announced fare hikes across an array of public transport, with rides in jeepneys, used by millions of Filipinos every day, set to jump about eight per cent.

“In my opinion ... now is probably not the time to raise fares for the people,” Mr Marcos said March 17 in walking back the increase, citing the ongoing Middle East war.

Instead, Mr Marcos said he had ordered the country’s transportation department “to launch free rides all over the Philippines” along with discounts on light rail systems and toll roads.