Commuters may soon pay more for public transport as the government begins reviewing fare hike petitions while weighing expanded fuel subsidies to ease the burden on both passengers and drivers.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said Wednesday he has directed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to start public consultations and discussions with regional directors on the pending petitions amid rising fuel prices.

Manibela launched a two-day transport strike on Wednesday to press for a P2 minimum jeepney fare increase, while Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide held a protest a day earlier calling for a P10 fare increase.

“The complication right now is that we have to also address inflation. In a recent survey, one of the top concerns of our fellow Filipinos is how to manage inflation. I understand that there are several petitions filed before the LTFRB for this fare hike. I instructed the LTFRB to start the process of public consultation and consultations with the regional directors nationwide,” Lopez said.

The consultations are the first step in the regulatory process before the LTFRB decides on the fare hike requests.

Separately, Lopez said the government is studying whether it can expand existing assistance programs, including the P10-per-liter Fuel Subsidy Program and fuel discounts, to reduce the need for fare increases while keeping inflation in check.

“LTFRB should start the process and see if we can, might as well, expand government interventions like the fuel subsidy or fuel discount. In that way, we can manage inflation. I think the President will also discuss and address that issue,” he said.

This week, fuel retailers implemented another round of hefty pump price increases, which pushed diesel prices in Metro Manila to as high as P94.57 per liter and premium diesel beyond P100 per liter.

Despite the increase, the Department of Energy assured that the country’s fuel supply remains stable and inventories are sufficient.