MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday a fuel subsidy program for public utility vehicles (PUVs), providing P10 per liter for up to 150 liters per week over a three-month period to offset rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Marcos said in a video statement that drivers and operators would receive an estimated weekly savings of P1,500 under the program, which would total about P18,000 over its duration.
The government did not specify in the statement which categories of PUVs would qualify, though the Philippine transport system includes buses, jeepneys, UV Express units, taxis, and ride-hailing vehicles.
The fuel subsidy will apply only at Department of Energy-approved gasoline stations, according to the president. He said the initial rollout will cover PUVs operating along major routes in Metro Manila, starting with Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
The program will expand in the following days to Quezon Avenue, Alabang-Zapote Road, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Rizal Avenue, and Marcos Highway before reaching other areas nationwide.
The Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board have yet to release implementing guidelines for the program.
Marcos said the subsidy aims to reduce transport costs and prevent increases in prices of goods and services. Jeepney drivers typically consume about 30 liters of diesel per day, according to industry estimates.
The fuel assistance program follows several weeks of increases in global oil prices, with diesel prices in the Philippines recently exceeding P170 per liter.
The subsidy program is separate from existing fuel assistance schemes under the Department of Transportation and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which cover different categories of transport workers and vehicles.
The government also plans to implement a nationwide service contracting program for PUVs starting April 15. Under the program, operators and drivers will receive payments ranging from P40 to P100 per kilometer, based on monitored trips through GPS systems, while commuters will receive a 20-percent fare discount.