PBBM lines up schemes while fuel costs rocket
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. personally led a special joint price and supply monitoring at Agora Public Market in San Juan City amid successive increases in fuel prices that are burdening consumers on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The President is joined by Department of Agriculture Francisco Tiu Laurel, Department of Trade and Industry Christina Roque and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora in inspecting stalls to ensure that prices of basic goods remain stable. The effects of tensions in the Middle East are being felt in local markets, particularly through rising oil prices that impact transportation and food production. Higher fuel costs create a domino effect, driving up fares as well as the prices of vegetables, meat, and other essential commodities. Authorities closely checked the prices of rice, chicken, pork, fish, and vegetables to prevent profiteering. PHOTOS BY YUMMIE DINGDING
Starting 15 April, the Department of Transportation will implement a service contracting scheme agreed upon during a recent meeting of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport team of the Marcos Administration.
“Under the program, the government will pay operators and drivers from P40 to P100 per kilometer. This will be an additional take-home pay from the fares that they are getting from passengers,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a video message on Thursday.
Passengers will get a 20 percent discount on jeepney and bus fares for routes that connect to train lines such as the MRT and LRT.
“This will be imposed in the whole country, covering 50,000 PUVs, 1,000 operators, and 15 million Filipinos. The service-contracting program will be implemented during peak hours, ensuring that our passengers have enough time for their commute. All who will join will have GPS monitoring to ensure that the services are properly implemented,” the President said.