By Kerzia Franzyll L. Coles
3rd Year AB-Political Science
University of Cebu-Main Campus
The rise of fuel prices in the Philippines is not something that is just decided without thought. It is a result of something bigger. It is driven by international tension, particularly with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This crisis has recently become the recurring headline in today’s news outlets, and it’s not just what we see on television and read online, but also a reality that we, the Filipinos, are currently experiencing.
According to the news, the fuel prices are unstable due to supply uncertainties associated with conflicts and production choices made by countries that export oil. When those oil-rich areas experience conflicts, supply chains become more constrained, leading to a price surge. The Philippines, as an oil-importing country, only has a limited ability to control these shifts. While the fuel prices continues to accelerate, the disheartening consequences are not felt equally. Those large and rich corporations may absorb the rising costs, but for ordinary Filipinos and those sectors that depend on every liter of oil to sustain themselves, the increase cuts directly into daily survival.
The burden of this crisis is felt hardest by the country’s vulnerable sectors, such as jeepney drivers, farmers, and small business owners. In the Philippines, the most affected sectors of these increases are jeepney drivers—the very backbone of the country’s public transportation. Each spike in fuel prices directly reduces their take-home income. A driver who once earned just enough to sustain his daily expenses now struggles to break even after paying for fuel.
There follows the call for fare hikes, but this is met with criticism and resistance from commuters, who are themselves having a hard time managing their expenses with the rising living costs. This kind of remedy will most likely be a loss for both drivers and passengers.
The agricultural sector in the country is also affected by this crisis. Farmers depend on fuel for their machinery, irrigation, and the transportation of goods. As diesel prices climb, so does the cost of food production. This inevitably contributes to higher food prices in markets, affecting not only farmers but also consumers nationwide. Ironically, those who produce food are among the first to feel hunger when costs outpace earnings.
Meanwhile, small business owners such as sari-sari store owners and small vendors face shrinking profit margins. Because of the fuel price surge, there will surely be an increase in transportation and supply cost that will force them to either raise the prices of their goods or just accept losses. These small businesses are essential to many local communities, particularly in provincial areas where resources are already limited. Communities as a whole suffer when they are struggling. The current situation points to a deeper issue: economic inequalities are intensified when a crisis hits. Basically, those with capital and resources can just adapt to the changes, while those without are left to bear the impact.
The rising cost of fuel is not only an economic issue — it is also an issue of inequality. It highlights how global events disproportionately affect those with the least capacity to cope. This crisis is not just about numbers, nor is it a social media issue that we can simply forget. It is about jeepney drivers who work tirelessly just to earn enough for the day. It is about farmers who work under the scorching heat just to meet their daily needs. It is about small business owners whose earnings from their goods remain minimal. This is not a struggle we can simply ignore and move on from. These are the realities many Filipinos face, and they call for immediate action from all concerned sectors.