BAGUIO CITY — Small beginnings, big impact.

Youth volunteers from Kasiyana: Youth in Action and the University of the Cordilleras–Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants conducted a relief drive on Thursday, distributing food packs to over 60 jeepney and taxi drivers and residents in Aurora Hill.

The packs contained rice, instant goods, eggs and vegetables to help ease the daily burden of rising living costs. Aside from distribution efforts, the student volunteers also went door-to-door to gather donations, highlighting strong community participation and youth engagement in social action.

Organizers thanked donors for their support, saying the initiative reflects the enduring spirit of bayanihan amid financial strain faced by the working sector.

However, they also used the initiative to push for broader reforms, calling for the removal of VAT and excise taxes on fuel, the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law, and a significant increase in the national minimum wage. They stressed that while relief efforts provide immediate help, long-term solutions must come from structural policy changes.

In a separate development, Baguio City has been placed under a state of calamity following the approval of City Council Resolution No. 257, series of 2026, signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

The declaration responds to an ongoing economic crisis driven by surging fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East, which have heavily affected transport, food, and livelihood sectors.

The resolution, also anchored on Executive Order No. 110 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will be transmitted to national agencies including the Department of the Interior and Local Government to facilitate assistance.

As part of immediate relief measures, the city government has begun distributing P5,000 in financial aid to nearly 2,000 public utility jeepney drivers through the AICS program to help cover rising operational costs.

To ease mobility concerns, the city has suspended the number coding scheme, while also forming a crisis management committee to monitor prices of basic goods and fuel and act against hoarding and abnormal increases.

Energy-saving measures have likewise been implemented in government offices, including a four-day workweek and reduced use of air conditioning, as the city continues to manage the impact of the crisis.