The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Saturday is considering expanding the government's fuel subsidy program for public utility vehicles (PUVs) as an alternative to fare increases amid rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

LTFRB Chairperson Vigor Mendoza II said the proposal is among the measures being discussed with government agencies and transport stakeholders while the agency reviews pending fare hike petitions upon the directive of Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

"We are factoring everything into the review and recomputation, which includes the difficulty caused by the unpredictable and unstable situation in the Middle East," Mendoza said.

The LTFRB said one proposal seeks to increase and broaden the existing P10-per-liter fuel discount to help transport operators cope with higher operating costs.

Currently, the fuel subsidy covers passenger jeepneys and UV Express units, with around 87,000 PUVs currently benefiting from the program, although its latest records show more than 143,000 registered PUVs nationwide.

Mendoza said the proposal remains under discussion and will undergo public consultations with transport stakeholders before any decision is made.

"We are looking into this proposal as the last option because the discussions on the matter are ongoing, and these discussions include public consultations with stakeholders nationwide," Mendoza added.

Mendoza added that expanding the fuel subsidy is a practical option amid uncertainty in global oil markets but acknowledged that extending the benefit to more PUVs would require a substantial government budget.