Abbey M.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has warned public utility vehicle (PUV) operators against implementing fare increases without prior approval from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said his office has received complaints from commuters reporting that some PUV operators have already raised their fares amid the continuing rise in petroleum prices.

Lopez warned that operators caught implementing unauthorized fare hikes will be issued a show cause order, and that their franchises could be placed at risk of suspension or revocation.

"Please inform us at the DOTr and LTFRB, and you can be assured that we will issue show cause orders against bus operators and public vehicles that have raised fares without permission," Lopez said.

He also appealed directly to transport operators to refrain from implementing fare increases without LTFRB approval, noting that as regulated entities, any unauthorized hike is grounds for franchise revocation or suspension.

The DOTr has already deployed LTFRB personnel to verify reported instances of unauthorized fare increases.

Holiday exodus preparations underway

Ahead of the long holiday, the DOTr has directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to reinforce support at ports expected to see a surge in passengers. Lopez anticipated a reduction in available vessels due to the oil crisis and said the government has pre-positioned PCG ships at strategic locations including Marinduque, Batangas, and Calapan to assist stranded passengers.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), meanwhile, has launched pilot testing of an online reservation system that will allow passengers to check available vessels to their home provinces. The PPA has also been placed on full holiday preparedness.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will coordinate with the DOTr, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP), and local government units to clear obstructions along McArthur Highway and Maharlika Highway.

"We will work with the DOTr, LTO, PNP, and DILG to ensure that especially during Holy Week, the McArthur and Maharlika highway systems are free from obstruction — because it greatly helps not just in travel speed, but in fuel savings as well," DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the acceleration of travel and clearing of all road passages is part of the government's UPLIFT measures to help the public save on fuel consumption amid rising oil prices caused by conflict in the Middle East.

"This is included in our directive under UPLIFT — to open all roads so that travel becomes more convenient for the traveling public," Marcos said.

Manila, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has directed port officials nationwide to prioritize the entry and release of petroleum imports.

In a memorandum, the BOC ordered all customs officials at ports across the country to expedite the clearance of imported oil and to avoid unnecessary delays in issuing customs clearances. The bureau emphasized a zero-tolerance policy on delays to ensure a continuous supply of petroleum products in the market, alongside strict monitoring of the clearance process.

BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno assured the public that all incoming oil shipments will be subject to proper taxation and authentication to guarantee product quality.

The Philippines will experience hot and humid weather over the next three days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Monday, March 30.

PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio attributed the conditions to two prevailing weather systems: the ridge of a high-pressure area (HPA) and the easterlies. The HPA ridge is currently extending over Northern Luzon, while the easterlies are affecting the rest of the country.

Unlike a low-pressure area, the ridge of an HPA is an anti-cyclonic system generally linked to fair weather. The easterlies, meanwhile, are warm, moisture-carrying winds originating from the Pacific Ocean.

In the coming days, most areas can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, particularly in the afternoon and evening hours.

PAGASA cautioned, however, that severe thunderstorms — which may bring sudden heavy rainfall  could trigger flash floods or landslides in vulnerable areas.

As of Monday morning, Aurelio confirmed that no low-pressure area or tropical cyclone is being monitored within or near the Philippine area of responsibility.

Malacañang came under fire after Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro declared that the country has yet to experience an oil crisis, insisting that fuel supply remains available despite the steep rise in petroleum prices.

Castro cited ongoing negotiations for the importation of 440,000 barrels of fuel, with an additional 600,000 barrels expected to follow.

"Sa katunayan, sinabi po ni Secretary Garin na mayroon na pong negosasyon patungkol sa 440,000 barrels ng fuel; at sa susunod naman po ay mayroong 600,000 barrels na maaari po nating maangkat. Ang sinasabi po natin na wala pa po at hindi pa po dinideklara na mayroon tayong oil crisis dahil nga po sapat ang suplay sa ngayon. Most probably, according to Secretary Sharon, ang nagkakaroon lamang po ng issue ay tungkol sa presyo dahil alam naman po natin kung ano ang nangyayari na krisis sa Middle East," Castro said.

["In fact, Secretary Garin said that there are already negotiations for 440,000 barrels of fuel, and next, there are 600,000 barrels that we can import. What we are saying is that we have not yet declared an oil crisis because supply is sufficient for now. Most probably, according to Secretary Sharon, the issue is only about prices, because we know what is happening with the crisis in the Middle East."]

The statement drew an immediate rebuke from Kamanggawa Partylist Rep. Eli San Fernando, who challenged Castro to step outside her office and witness the reality facing ordinary Filipinos. San Fernando said Malacañang appears to be the only one unaware that an oil crisis is already underway.

The lawmaker called on the Marcos administration to shift into emergency mode rather than relying on cash aid as a solution.

"Dapat po ang attitude ninyo ay crisis mode na at emergency mode. Ang maganda ninyong gawin, isuspinde ninyo yung excise tax, yung value added tax sa mga produktong petrolyo, i-address ninyo yung issue ng sahod ng mga manggagawa," San Fernando said.

["The attitude should already be in crisis mode and emergency mode. What you should do is suspend the excise tax and the value-added tax on petroleum products, and address the issue of workers' wages."]

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco also expressed disbelief over the Palace's remarks.

"Hindi ko matanggap 'yon. Wala pa tayo sa krisis. Eh ang taas na nga ng presyo ng langis, di ba? Pag nagpapakarga ka nga ng diesel, pataas ng pataas eh, so paano namang wala tayo sa krisis?" Tiangco said.

["I cannot accept that. We are not yet in a crisis? Fuel prices are already so high. Every time you fill up with diesel, the price keeps going up — so how are we not in a crisis?"]

Makabayan lawmakers similarly condemned what they described as the administration's apparent dismissal of the situation, criticizing the lack of urgent action from Malacañang. 

They warned that downplaying the crisis breeds complacency, slows down response, and conditions the public to treat worsening hardship as normal, a situation they said is anything but, as the burden on workers, drivers, farmers, the youth, and the poor continues to grow daily.

The bloc stressed that what the public needs to hear from the government are concrete and specific steps on how to move forward, adding that the administration currently lacks clear direction and appears to be going in circles.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development began distributing cash assistance to Transport Network Vehicle Service drivers in Metro Manila today, March 24 with over 27,000 drivers targeted to receive aid through 17 payout centers across the region.

Similar to the assistance extended to tricycle drivers, each TNVS driver is set to receive P5,000 in financial relief. However, the rollout was met with immediate concerns after numerous drivers discovered they were not included in the DSWD's beneficiary list.

Laban TNVS President Jun de Leon said their group was still scrambling to locate missing names well into the early hours of the morning.

"Alas-4 na tayo natulog dahil hinahanap natin ang pangalan ng ating driver at wala po sa listahan. At nakakalungkot po dun sa social media page namin silipin nyo po kung saan nagra-rant na yung mga kasamahan natin TNVS driver at tawag at text sa atin na tulungan sila," de Leon said.

["We only slept at 4 a.m. because we were searching for our drivers' names and they were not on the list. And it is saddening to see on our social media page where our fellow TNVS drivers are ranting, and calling and texting us to help them."]

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian acknowledged that unlisted drivers were expected, drawing a parallel to similar issues encountered during the tricycle driver payout. He said the names of beneficiaries are posted at each payout center, and that help desks have been set up at every site, staffed by personnel from the DSWD, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and transport network companies, to assist drivers who need to file appeals.

Gatchalian also urged transport network companies not to filter the drivers they submit to their lists, and called on drivers filing appeals not to direct their frustration at DSWD field personnel at the payout centers, clarifying that those staff had no involvement in determining who was included in the list.

Despite the ongoing distribution, de Leon maintained that the P5,000 aid falls short given the soaring cost of fuel. He said TNVS drivers consume an average of 20 liters of gasoline daily, translating to a loss of over P500 per day.

"Nag-a-average po ng 20 liters everyday ang gasolina na ikinakarga ng ating mga kasamahang drivers na bumibiyahe at kung i-compute ito, mahigit P500 ang nawawala araw-araw sa ating mga TNVS driver. Itong P5,000 kung idadagdag sa loss ng mga ating mga TNVS driver, ito po ay pang isang linggo lamang," de Leon said.

["Our fellow drivers consume an average of 20 liters of gasoline every day, and if you compute that, more than P500 is lost daily by our TNVS drivers. This P5,000, if added to the losses our drivers are facing, only covers about one week."]