Hundreds of transport workers in the Philippine capital Manila launched a two-day strike on Thursday, protesting soaring fuel prices that have more than doubled since the Iran war began on February 28. The demonstrations come as the government declared a national energy emergency in response to the rapidly escalating oil crisis.
Drivers of jeepneys, the country’s iconic and affordable minibuses, joined motorcycle and ride-hailing drivers in staging protests across parts of the capital. Transport coalitions behind the strike are demanding the scrapping of fuel taxes, a rollback of oil prices, higher fares and wages, and stronger government control over the energy sector.
Many drivers say the rising fuel costs have pushed them to the brink of financial collapse.
Sixty-two-year-old jeepney driver Guillermo Japole told the BBC he had no food to feed his five children and had not received the government cash assistance promised to struggling drivers.
“I lined up for more than five hours yesterday for the cash aid from the government, but my name was not there,” he said, adding that he now has “no cash aid, no earnings, no food for the family.”
Another driver, 28-year-old Anjo Lilac, brought his young daughter Hannah to the protest because his wife had recently started a temporary job and could not watch her. He said government assistance would help pay for food, rent and milk for their baby.
For some drivers, the situation has become so severe that they are considering leaving Manila to search for work in their hometowns.
“It feels like we are being choked,” said Ronnie Rillosa, 58, who has worked as a jeepney driver for three decades. “We don’t know where we can get money to provide for our families.”
The strike is already affecting commuters in Manila, one of Asia’s most congested cities where workers often spend hours traveling to their jobs. Some residents lined up for government-provided free rides as transport services were disrupted.
Arnold Irinco, a 52-year-old liaison officer, said he had waited more than 30 minutes for a ride but sympathized with the striking drivers.
“I do understand what the protesters are fighting for,” he said. “This is their livelihood, they have mouths to feed.”
The energy crisis has been worsened by the Philippines’ heavy dependence on imported oil. Nearly 98 percent of the country’s supply previously passed through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route affected by the Middle East conflict.
As the strike began, a tanker carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil arrived in the country. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office said the shipment, delivered by the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel Sara Sky, was part of efforts to secure alternative fuel supplies.
Earlier this week Marcos also signed legislation allowing him to temporarily suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes if global oil prices remain above $80 per barrel for a month.
The government has already introduced several emergency measures, including fuel subsidies for transport drivers, reduced ferry services and a four-day work week for civil servants aimed at cutting fuel consumption.
A national state of energy emergency was formally declared on Tuesday, giving authorities broader powers to stabilize supplies and protect the economy. The Philippines is the first country to make such a declaration amid the escalating U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
The emergency order allows the government to directly purchase fuel and coordinate the distribution of essential goods such as food, medicine and petroleum products.
However, the move has drawn criticism from labour groups. The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) coalition described the declaration as proof the government had failed to manage the oil crisis and warned that some provisions could restrict strikes and other labour actions.
Business leaders have taken a different view. Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of several major utilities companies, said rising energy costs were already affecting business operations and supported giving the government broader authority to respond to the crisis.
As fuel prices continue to surge and pressure builds on households and businesses alike, the unfolding energy emergency highlights how global conflicts are rapidly spilling into domestic economic crises far from the battlefield.
