With another round of oil price hikes expected due to renewed tensions in the Middle East, a transport group said it would rather have a nationwide fuel discount than a fare increase.

Discussing a recent consultation with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) President Melencio "Boy" Vargas said the group was asked to choose between two possible government interventions.

Given the choice between a fare increase and a fuel subsidy, Vargas said they would prefer a P15-per-liter fuel discount.

"The LTFRB sought a consultation with us as the LTFRB and the DOTr are studying an increase in the fuel discount from fuel companies. They asked us to choose. We would opt for a P15 fuel discount rather than a P1 fare increase," Vargas said in a radio interview.

Vargas also urged the LTFRB and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to ensure that the fuel discount would cover the entire country.

"We are also hoping that they will expand it because there are some areas that don't get a discount. We asked them to implement it nationwide," he said.

On Tuesday, 21 July, diesel prices increased by P10.68 per liter, while kerosene and gasoline prices rose by P11.77 and P3.65 per liter, respectively.

The Department of Energy (DOE) also announced that another round of price increases is expected next week, with diesel projected to rise by P6 to P6.50 per liter and gasoline by P5.50 to P6 per liter.

Last April, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved a P10-per-liter fuel subsidy for public utility vehicles (PUVs), capped at 150 liters per week for three months.

The measure coincided with the DOTr's implementation of a 20 percent fare discount for commuters under the Service Contracting Program, which ended after oil prices stabilized on 22 May.

With fuel prices continuing to rise, several transport groups have renewed calls for a fare increase ranging from P2 to P10. For its part, the LTFRB said it is studying the petitions to determine an "appropriate" fare adjustment.