Pagbutlak

ILOILO CITY — Rising fuel prices sparked a wave of multisectoral action on March 18, as 121 participants from 36 organizations including transport workers, people’s organizations, and community advocates gathered at Sta. Teresa Prayer Center in Jaro to confront the roots of the crisis and mobilize ahead of a two-day People’s Strike.

The forum, organized by the Panay Consumers Alliance (PCA) and titled “Fueling Action on the Fuel Crisis: A Consumers’ Forum on Price Hikes,” examined the intersection of global tensions—particularly the United States–Israel war on Iran—and domestic policies, including the Oil Deregulation Law and fuel taxation under the TRAIN Law, which together continue to inflate prices and burden ordinary consumers.

Human rights lawyer and National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) Panay member Atty. Angelo Karlo Guillen opened the forum by situating the fuel crisis in the context of global geopolitics. He emphasized that while international conflicts disrupt oil supply and global markets, it is the people—drivers, workers, and everyday consumers—who shoulder the heaviest economic burden.

“Not only does war affect economies, it also affects the welfare and rights of civilians,” Guillen stressed.

John Ian Alenciaga, PCA convener and human rights and environmental defender, detailed how local policies shape fuel prices. Under the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998 (RA 8479), pump prices automatically follow international market trends. Taxes, including the 12% value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes under the TRAIN Law, further inflate costs, increasing transport fares and prices of basic goods.

The forum also highlighted the disproportionate impact of these policies on lower-income households, whose budgets are most sensitive to fuel price fluctuations—shown through the personal accounts shared during the open forum; highlighting how soaring costs have strained daily expenses and livelihoods.

Elmer Forro of BAYAN Panay, echoed by Lucia Francisco of Gabriela-Panay, outlined concrete demands: roll back fuel prices, suspend or remove VAT and excise taxes on petroleum, repeal the Oil Deregulation Law, regulate oil prices, provide broad assistance to affected sectors, and invest in strengthening local energy sources.

Iloilo City Councilor Atty. Sedfrey Cabaluna joined the discussion, underscoring the urgency of considering how deregulated pricing and taxation directly impact the cost of food, transportation, and other essentials. He called for inclusive, multisectoral engagement to craft responsive policies that defend vulnerable communities.

The PCA emphasized that the discussions were a prelude to the People’s Strike on March 19–20, at Ungka Terminal, Tagbak Terminal, the Infante Flyover, and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol. The strike will highlight demands on fuel prices, transport workers’ livelihoods, and broader economic pressures affecting commuters, workers, and everyday Filipinos across the region.

Drivers press rollback, subsidies

On the strike’s first day today, March 19, over 400 jeepney drivers and operators across four sites in Iloilo City halted operations to protest against the ongoing oil price shocks. 

Multisectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)-Panay slammed the continued spike in fuel prices, saying it has triggered ‘severe economic shockwaves.’ Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) drivers, they said, are now losing as much as P1000.00 per day.

The group also criticized the one peso fare hike approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) as it only provides a P200 additional daily  income–an amount the group described as ‘grossly insufficient to offset the losses incurred by the drivers.’ 

The ongoing People’s Strike is set to continue until tomorrow, March 20, signaling a sustained push to assert economic rights and demand systemic solutions to the national fuel crisis.

PCA emphasized that the fight against rising fuel costs goes beyond transportation fares as it impacts livelihoods, basic goods, and the overall economy. 

#PanayPeoplesStrike

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Kichi Lim is Pagbutlak’s 51st Associate Editor for External Affairs. She’s a part-time reporter/correspondent, part-time news writer.