Cebu strike paralyzes 90 percent of routes
This action follows nationwide protests since mid-March, as drivers face diesel prices nearing P120/liter and gasoline over P100, eroding profits despite government subsidies and President Marcos Jr.’s RA 12316 tax suspension powers.
DRIVERS and members of PISTON-Cebu stage a transport strike, crippling up to 90 percent of major routes in Metro Cebu. Tens of thousands of commuters were left stranded at hubs like Parkmall and Barangay Guadalupe as the group protested diesel prices nearing P120 per liter.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PISTON CEBU
The transport strike in Metro Cebu on Friday paralyzed up to 90 percent of major routes, leaving tens of thousands of commuters stranded amid the ongoing oil price crisis triggered by Middle East tensions and recent double-digit hikes.
This action follows nationwide protests since mid-March, as drivers face diesel prices nearing P120/liter and gasoline over P100, eroding profits despite government subsidies and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s RA 12316 tax suspension powers (still unactivated).
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.