Transport group MANIBELA initiated a two-day nationwide transport strike on Wednesday to demonstrate against recent steep hikes in fuel prices, which took effect a day prior.
Around 100 members gathered at Philcoa along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, holding signs and banners to press the government into dropping excise taxes and value-added tax on fuel, alongside enacting measures to reduce petroleum costs. Demonstrators also voiced dismay over unaddressed requests for increased jeepney fares.
Quezon City Traffic and Transport Management Department officers were stationed at the gathering point to regulate vehicular flow and prevent congestion.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and other state agencies organized free rides for commuters stranded by the transport disruption, while local governments and schools suspended in-person classes.
MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena stated that the organization plans to submit a formal plea to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday. The petition requests lifting the suspension on a previously approved ₱1 fare hike and asks for an additional ₱1 bump, aiming for a total ₱2 increase to the base fare.
Valbuena explained that the requested adjustment is necessary to cushion drivers and operators against rising vehicle upkeep and operational costs, noting that repair expenses now consume a substantial chunk of their earnings.
He further called out the Department of Energy (DOE) for failing to protect public transport drivers and everyday consumers from relentless fuel price hikes.