PISTON-Cebu stressed the protest fights not just for drivers’ survival but to safeguard public transport operations long-term, slamming government inaction on oil surges.
The group reiterated its five-point demands: oil price rollback to P55 per liter based on current stock costs; removal of VAT and excise taxes to cut pump prices by P20 per liter; a P5 fare increase paired with a P1,200 national minimum wage for drivers; repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law to restore price controls; and nationalization of Petron and the oil industry for stable supply and affordability.
Government response
LTFRB and Cebu City deployed emergency buses and service contracting vehicles to major terminals like Parkmall, though coverage remained spotty. No class suspensions were announced, but officials urged modern PUVs (non-jeepneys) to operate and warned of sanctions for strike participation. Palace reiterated no plans for price controls, focusing instead on the 45-day fuel buffer and P20B DoE allocation.
Barangay Guadalupe — Cebu City’s most populous with over 80,000 residents — saw no rides until noon, forcing long walks. Parkmall Terminal in Mandaue City stood empty of PUVs, stranding thousands as the strike highlighted transport’s vulnerability to global oil shocks.
